“Beauty will save the world”: MAFED brings creativity and strategy together with guest session by Jacopo Ascari

Illustrator Jacopo Ascari brings his creative vision to SDA Bocconi’s MAFED program, sharing his journey and expertise on the intersection between creativity and luxury brand management.

SDA Bocconi's Master in Fashion, Experience & Design Management (MAFED) continues to stand as a world-leading program that prepares future leaders for careers in fashion, luxury and hospitality. The program combines strategic management with creative insight, offering students hands-on learning opportunities with industry professionals. Recently, MAFED welcomed Jacopo Ascari, a talented creator and illustrator known for his collaborations with prestigious brands like Four Seasons, Danieli, Aethos and more.

Originally trained as an architect, Ascari transitioned to the world of fashion and luxury by illustrating designs for prominent firms. His career soon expanded to collaborations with major luxury brands, where he transformed seasonal concepts into visually striking experiences aligned with each brand’s overarching strategy.

The session with Ascari was part of the “Event Design, Management & Communication in Hospitality” course, specifically designed for the "Food, Experience & Hospitality" concentration, and his insights demonstrated how art and design can significantly enhance luxury brand management.

“Beauty will save the world”, he noted during the lesson, emphasizing the central role of beauty in brand positioning. His collaborations in the hôtellerie sector, particularly with Four Seasons in Milan, Taormina and Florence, offered students invaluable insights on using visual storytelling to create meaningful and impactful guest experiences. “People want to feel the genius loci”, he stated. “They want to experience the excellence of the place they are in.”

In addition to his work in the hospitality industry, Ascari shared details of his contributions to major events like Venice Fashion Week and his territorial marketing project for Regione Lombardia, bridging the gap between past and future and blending traditional craftsmanship with modern innovation – essential qualities in today’s competitive luxury market.

Ascari’s exploration of the creative process also underscored the significance of transforming abstract ideas into impactful brand experiences, emphasizing that the journey of creation often holds more value than the final outcome itself: “The process becomes an experience in every step, infused with beauty. Only in this way does it effectively shape the image of Italy that the luxury hospitality client expects at every moment and in every place.”

As the discussion drew to a close, Chiara Piancatelli, MAFED Program Coordinator, expressed her heartfelt appreciation: “Thank you for the knowledge you’ve shared with us. In today's landscape, companies are increasingly tasked with creating immersive experiences where events and interactions become an integral part of the narrative itself, leveraging creativity to build authentic and lasting connections with their target audience.”

Ascari’s session perfectly demonstrated how creativity, when combined with strategic thinking, plays a crucial role in luxury hospitality and brand management, and his ability to merge art with strategic objectives provided MAFED students with the tools to approach the future of luxury and hospitality with fresh, innovative perspectives. As he emphasized, in the world of high-end experiences, it’s not just about creating something beautiful, it’s about telling a story that immerses and engages.

The Master in Fashion, Experience & Design Management (MAFED) at SDA Bocconi is an intensive one-year full-time program equipping students with essential management skills tailored specifically for creative industries such as fashion, luxury and hospitality. MAFED empowers participants by fostering the fusion of imagination and analytical precision, enabling them to develop strategic marketing initiatives and create lasting, innovative brands that resonate in highly competitive markets.

The program is directed by Emanuela Prandelli, with Chiara Piancatelli serving as the Program Coordinator, and Vittoria Veronesi coordinating the “Food, Experience & Hospitality” concentration.

SDA Bocconi School of Management

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