Master’s Degree

MA in Luxury Business

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Date
Fall 2026
Duration
1+ Year
Location
London
Program
Master’s Degree
Mode of Learning
In-Person
Language
English
Topic
Luxury
Contact Admissions

+44 (0)20 7462 3232 admissions@sia.edu

Cultivate an in-depth awareness of the ever-changing business of luxury and its cultural settings.

Luxury is as dynamic and disruptive as ever. Shifts in consumer values, buying power, access, and technology are shaping an innovative and dynamic luxury market.

The Sotheby’s Institute MA in Luxury Business examines this sophisticated industry as it diversifies and expands, exploring synergies with other industries and cultural landscapes, such as the art world.

Taking a uniquely nuanced view of luxury, the program responds to a broader shift within high‑end industries to break barriers, collaborate, and find original ways of engaging diverse markets and audiences.

The MA in Luxury Business uniquely develops a customer‑centric perspective on luxury, integrating elements of the sociology of consumption, experience design, and contemporary brand strategy.

Students will examine the social, historical, and cultural evolution of luxury, critically reflecting on how brands and businesses create value through unique and targeted storytelling, craftsmanship, and authenticity.

In doing this, they will gain deeper knowledge of luxury and the core mechanisms of value that shape the industry.

They will also learn how enterprises express luxury through a strong connection to their terroir and heritage.

They will also gain a comprehensive understanding of luxury sectors and players, along with the financial, legal, and strategic components of luxury business management. Intersections with other high‑value cultural industries, especially art, are explored throughout the curriculum.

Luxury is a long-standing and vital industry in any modern economy that rewards capable individuals. The industry is more than expensive price tags, it reflects an enduring appreciation for tradition, excellence, authenticity, and connection to the source of the experiences we enjoy.

Students can expect to be fascinated by the diversity and culture as they learn from — and network with — luxury practitioners. The Master’s degree comprises 120 taught credits across two semesters, followed by a 60-credit dissertation in an additional semester.

The first two semesters are intensively taught three days per week, with opportunities to personalize the program through specialist electives or a work placement. Core units include Luxury in Context, The Luxury Market, and Managing a Luxury Business.

Graduates emerge equipped to contribute to a rapidly expanding global field, confidently navigating both the creative and commercial sides of the luxury ecosystem.

They develop a professional fluency in the industry’s culture, values, traditions, and evolving consumers, understanding that luxury is a language.

Highlights

Cultural Context

The program delves deep into the cultural, historical, and creative dimensions of luxury, fostering a nuanced understanding that sets graduates apart as they start their career in the industry.

Cross‑Sector Fluency

Students explore the multifaceted nature of luxury and learn how luxury principles, such as storytelling, craftsmanship, and brand heritage, create opportunities for innovation and growth across any sector.

First-hand Insight

Site visits to key UK retail stores and venues, including Rathfinny, Fortnum & Mason, The Coral Room, Harrods, John Lobb, and other independent brands, help students understand how luxury is created and experienced in different contexts.

Tradition and Preservation

The program emphasizes how luxury safeguards craft, heritage, and authenticity, preserving time‑honored techniques while evolving with contemporary market demands. It demystifies the field by showing that luxury is driven not by exclusion, but by passion, craftsmanship, and cultural meaning.

Adaptable Expertise

Participants graduate with the versatility to pursue a wide range of career paths. They develop strong analytical and strategic skills that allow them to adapt to evolving roles and responsibilities across the luxury landscape.

Experiential Learning

International study trips and visits are significant learning events, where travel, experiencing art in situ, and informal access to tutors come together to create an immersive and enriching experience.

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Faculty

Program Director, MA in Luxury Business

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Federica Carlotto has 10+ years’ experience in the analysis of material culture and knowledge transfer for Higher Education. Federica has appeared as a guest speaker at conferences and workshops in Italy, UK, France, Australia, Canada, and Japan on topics such as: consumption and creation of social identity; luxury trends; place branding and luxury products; the concept of luxury; cross-cultural issues in clothing (focus on Japan and Asia); social and anthropological history of costume and fashion

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Lecturer, MA in Luxury Business, London

Dr. Céline Stiris is a lecturer and researcher in marketing, including branding, strategy and communication with a particular expertise in luxury. She completed her Ph.D. degree at the University of Kingston, UK, in the field of consumer behaviour, on the topic " Customising gifts for oneself and others: the impact of anxiety and perceived design skill on customer value dimensions and the effect of complexity".

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Featured

Field Study

Field study is a hallmark of the master's programs, taking graduate students around the globe to explore established and emerging markets during key events and with an itinerary ranging from art fairs to visits to artist studios and private collections.

“I loved how the MA Luxury Business program covered a wide range of luxury sectors—from hospitality and jewelry to fashion and art—and explored the evolving definition of luxury across cultures and time periods. Being in London enhanced the experience, as the city itself is a global hub for art, fashion, and luxury.” — Karla Akpinar ’24

Details

Academic Structure

The Master’s degree is awarded for 120 taught credits across two semesters, as well as the completion of a 60-credit dissertation over the course of an additional semester.

The first two semesters are intensively taught on three days per week. During the program, specialist electives can be chosen from across all Institute Master’s programs, allowing a student to build a personalized Master’s profile. Students take two 15-credit electives across a variety of offerings for deeper expertise, to develop specialties or can participate in a work placement.

The three units for this program include the following:

Luxury in Context

This unit introduces the students to the concept of luxury and its historical development. The unit considers luxury across different cultural contexts and examines the different ways in which luxury has been experienced, interpreted, and questioned. The unit delves into the social and economic processes through which luxury became a structured industry, and considers its evolution to the present.

The Luxury Market

This unit provides the opportunity for an in-depth study of the luxury market environment, understood here as the intersection between consumption practices and corporate branding/marketing. Consumption behaviour forms the starting point. The unit begins by considering different segmentation areas (geo-cultural markets, psychographic segments, digital communities of taste), as well as the shifting values, habits and patterns of luxury consumption.

Managing a Luxury Business

The unit promotes a critical understanding of the principles and practices implemented in the management of a luxury business. The central focus of the unit concerns the structural, strategic and managerial elements of business management. Around this focus orbit the analysis and strategic evaluation of a company’s competitive ecosystem; the financial principles that guide sound business planning; and the professional attitudes and human qualities that inform and shape innovative business practices, fostering an innovative and participative corporate culture.

View required courses and electives in our Master’s London Catalog here.

Tuition and Fees

Fall 2026 Entry

Home: Total Program Fees: £24,950

International: Total Program Fee: £42,500

Tuition includes participation in the field study component.

For more information on tuition and program fees, click here.

Field Study

Study trips and visits are significant learning events, where travel, experiencing art in situ, and informal access to tutors come together to create an immersive and enriching experience.

In 2026-27 MA Luxury Business students will visit Paris, Milan, Modena, and Maranello.

Frequently Asked Questions

From visa information for international students to course credits, find answers on our FAQ page. If you don’t find the answer you’re looking for, contact an Admissions counselor.

Student Policies

Explore our library of academic and campus policies here. All students who enroll for graduate study must agree to the Terms and Conditions upon accepting their offer of admittance.

Enterprise Studio

The Enterprise Studio was created as an extra-curricular program for Master’s students to receive training and support for new business ventures, culminating in a start-up pitch competition, the Gavel. Through close access to mentors, students have the chance to shape their plans from ideation to execution with the winning Gavel team receiving significant seed funding for their future business.

Student Spotlight

For Karla Akpinar, the MA Luxury Business program at Sotheby’s Institute of Art was a springboard into the multifaceted world of luxury. Her work placement at Fenwick offered the opportunity to transform classroom insights into real-world brand storytelling, deepening her passion for hospitality and the luxury consumer experience.

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