BUS 410 – Sustainability in the Fashion Industry

Description
This course aims at exploring the very pressing issue of sustainability in world of fashion and luxury, by analyzing both the tangible and intangible assets that are created in this industry. The course will discuss a variety of topics, which will include the management of sustainable fashion practices with a company’s stakeholders, the promotion of corporate social responsibilities (CSR) initiatives as well as the design of innovative business models capable of improving a business’s sustainability performance.
Furthermore, by analyzing the life cycle of the fashion product this course will address the adoption of sustainable practices to meet the demands of the fast fashion pipeline, from the sourcing of raw materials, to the product manufacturing stage, to retail, and – finally – to product usage and disposal.

Learning Outcomes
The class is structured so as to provide students with the opportunity to think critically about the issues of the contemporary fashion business. To reach this goal, a variety of teaching methodologies will be used.
Firstly, the course will discuss real-life business cases by applying theoretical frameworks and case scenario analysis in order to develop a hands-on approach to the subject, contextualizing it into the Florentine fashion district.
Secondly, class meetings will have a mixed structure, including interactive lectures, in-class discussions, case analysis, guest lectures, and site visits. Students will work in teams and will be given reading and practical assignment to be carried out on a weekly basis.

Course descriptions may be subject to occasional minor modifications at the discretion of the instructor.

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