Fashion Bigwigs Visit Harvard
(Max Azria / Photo by Evgenia Eliseeva)
Harvard Business School presented fashion giants such as Max Azria of BCBG and hair styling master Frederic Fekkai at the 8th annual Retail and Luxury Goods Conference last weekend.
About 150 students and industry professionals networked and attended panels.
Steven Kolb, CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, was the first keynote speaker. He spoke at the Sheraton Commander Hotel Saturday night to celebrate the CFDA’s 50th anniversary.
Max Azria spoke to students in the second keynote speech Sunday morning. He talked about leaving school at age 15 to create his business, and he urged students to take risks.
“Since I didn’t have a lot of background in school, but a lot of background in life, I will try to share my life story, that outside of school, there is a life story, too,” Azria told Bostonista before the speech.
(Anya Ayoung Chee / Photo by Evgenia Eliseeva)
Panel topics included emerging markets, new business models, and more — and panelists represented global brands such as Dafiti of Brazil and Louis Vuitton in India. “Project Runway” winner Anya Ayoung Chee talked about her advocacy to create a market for fashion in the Caribbean during one discussion.
— Kate Spalla
