hi!!

i just finished my BLS.LLB from government law college, Mumbai. i wanted to pursue my further education in designing or the luxury industry, as i have a a very creative streak. But since these are not very conventional courses, my parents are just not on board with it. to avoid further friction i m now looking at mba options since that is what they want me to do. But i want an mba program where i could choose luxury as an elective. since I have no post graduation work experience, it is not possible to get admmitted to stern or lbs which are the few colleges that i know offer such electives.

coming from a law background and with no work experience which college can i look at in this regard? It would be very helpful if someone could also tell me the prospects of working for luxury brands after doing mainstream mba.

Take a look at http://www.find-mba.com/board/24603

hi duncan,
i read the links you posted and a dozen others.they were very helpful for me to specifically outline my questions. it seems that masters or mba in luxury brand management is not advised by you and it generally pays low. you have however mentioned that mba in luxury is not the only way to get work with luxury brands; but is it the better way? rather than doing a mainstream mba.

Also, would be low paying even after i do luxury management from ESSEC after getting a mainstream mba and working for a couple of years?

as much as i need to financially support myself and pay back education loans which will be incurred whatever course i do, i also need to satisfy my creative itch. by that i dont necessarily need to be involved in designing but i do wish to be surrounded by creativity. if i do get to work with a luxury company after doing a mainstream mba, would i still have any creative role?

also, since i have no work experience and it is not possible to reason with my folks and delay education and get a job instead; i cannot possibly get into the tp b-schools. how valuable will it be for me to do an mba from a medium range school? would it give me reasonable returns on the investment?

i also read links talking about MBA/MFA, and design thinking, offered by reputed colleges. that sounds like a place where i can combine my academic excellence with my creative ability, but are these just another fancy worded courses which dont provide value or a reasonable guarantee of a job?

I don't need to recap the points made on those other posts. The best way to work with luxury brands is to use the skill you have: a degree from Asia's oldest law school. Become a lawyer specialised in luxury brands' intellectual property challenges.

I don't think that ESSEC will recruit people with MBAs into its luxury MBA. If they did, you would not be a likely candidate to be selected. If you were, then probably you'd have similar outcomes to other Indian alumni of the programme. Ask to speak to alumni.

Creative people are, generally, not well paid. To become a creator, find someone to support you to go to art school and then work on low wages for five or so years.

A mid-tier MBA will give you a good outcome, but it won't necessarily lead you into a creative role in the luxury market. It could lead you to a legal or financial management role.

An MBA/MFA is very unlikely to give you a decent ROI. The children, wives and mistresses of the rich are lining up to work for free or for poverty wages in the art, fashion, luxury etc industries.

IPR is exactly what i aspired to do. But getting a job right now is not an option. I do have to go for my further education by next year.

I am comfortable with the idea of doing an mba, but i do not want to be stuck with a legal role again. Given my education background, would i be considered for other roles?

If you didn't want to work in law, and wanted to work in luxury, then the most likely route would be to take a masters degree in human resources. That would also fit well with your LLB, and could lead to a role in retail or fashion, and then you could move into from there luxury. For example, to get an MBA from the University of Lucknow and then work in HR for Reliance Retail.

Duncan,
firstly i would want to thank you for your mater of fact replies. it really helped me make uncloudd decisions. i just one last query, if you may please answer that.

i do have education in law from ILS, Pune and GLC, Mumbai, which are probably the best in India. But i do not believe i have any knowledge of law. Interest too is limited just for IPR. I am very very good with mathematics and accounts, but do not have any knowledge of the stock market. I also have the ability to network well and organize events.
in such a case, what would be better for me? HR, Finance or marketing?

With an education in law you are less credible as a marketer than as a HR manager, finance professional or consultant. Move into one of those roles in a financial firm, legal services or technology consultancy, and then perhaps you can move as an experienced professional into the luxury market.