Burt Tansky (left), former CEO and chair of Neiman Marcus Group, addresses a large gathering of students April 11 in the Knight Center. Tansky was on campus to speak to students enrolled in a spring mini course aimed at providing a comprehensive understanding of the $237 billion luxury goods market. The class is taught by Martin K. Sneider (right), adjunct professor of marketing in Olin Business School. In May, members of the class will travel to Europe to study the strategies, business models and inner-workings of some of the world’s prominent luxury apparel and accessory marketers. The students will gain an understanding of the industry’s structure and its key participants, as well as a thorough knowledge of financial underpinnings of brands, critical elements of marketing strategies and the global expansion of luxury brands, especially into China.
