The next MA Fashion Retail Management student to be featured on the LCFMA16 Graduate Spotlight series, is Shruti Jaipuria. LCF News caught up with Shruti to discuss why she chose LCF, her favourite things about London and what she enjoyed most about studying postgraduate.
Shruti Jaipuria
What did you study before your current MA?
I graduated from Jain University – Center for Management Studies in Bangalore, with a dual degree in Business Management (finance major), and an Investment Qualification Certificate from the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment in London.
Why did you choose LCF?
LCF is in the heart of one of the most exciting fashion capitals of the world – London, and this is the reason I chose to study here. The course and the opportunities offered by the university for a student who is passionate to learn about the global fashion industry can’t be compared to most other schools across the world.
What was your favourite thing about studying in London?
My favourite thing about studying in London was the opportunity to interact with students from international backgrounds. The diverse mix of ideas and opinions that came up in classroom discussions was very enriching. Studying in London also meant I was exposed to a lot of outside classroom learning as well. Apart from this, the fashion streets across the city served both as a learning experience, as well as great retail therapy!
Tell us a about your final project and dissertation…
My dissertation looked at airport retail as a mode of market entry into India for international brands. I wanted to evaluate airport retail as a route to enter the Indian market by looking at the factors influencing market entry decisions of international airport retailers in India. Airports have been a key contributor to the growth of the travel retail industry, and the opportunities provided by the location to retailers make it an attractive destination to sell in. The area is currently under-researched in India so my study contributes to a new and emerging area of retail within the country.
What do you like most about your course, and what have you found most challenging?
Self-directed learning is the best thing about the course. It helped me understand my strengths and weaknesses by the end of the year, and helped me build my own thoughts and ideas about a topic. I also enjoyed the amazing opportunities to engage and network with industry professionals after talks and seminars. The most challenging thing about the course is developing a critical eye while analysing and assessing a situation. I think it’s a skill that you often learn the hard way by lots of reading and critiquing, but it’s the most powerful tool one can learn by the end of the course.
What would be your top three tips for prospective students?
My advise to prospective students would be:
– Keep an open mind – whether learning through the course or with the career options. There’s so much to explore and discover here, that you often don’t realise what you might be good at and what it might lead to.
– Seize every opportunity you get to network and interact with industry professionals and academics. Chances like this are rare and it’s really competitive out there, so if you want to succeed, you have to get your foot in the door and get noticed.
– London is an exciting city to live in, but it can be overwhelming too – don’t let it get you down and make sure you live it like it’s the best journey you can go through.
What are your plans now that you’ve finished your MA?
I plan on working with fashion retail consultancies, specialising in Indian market entry or fashion retail advisory for international brands in India. At the moment I’m looking for opportunities with local retail partners to test everything I learned on my MA course.