Università Bocconi and Times Online: Set the Trends with Fashion Empire

British designer Paul Smith is just one of many examples of entrepreneurs graduating from corner boutiques to international design superstardom.

Now that's the challenge posed by Bocconi University in Milan and Times Online. Players can put their own management skills to the test - while having fun - with the mobile phone game Bocconi Fashion Empire.

Fashion Empire is a strategic simulation game for java phones developed with the help of the faculty of the Master in Fashion, Experience and Design Management (MAFED) of Bocconi.

The game which can be downloaded at www.unibocconi.eu/fashionempire and www.timesonline.co.uk/fashionempire builds on the success of Ice Cream Empire launched by Bocconi last year and is played by 18.000 people in 160 countries.

Players are asked to build and run a fashion design business for a virtual year, taking a variety of strategic decisions ranging from the location of the shops in the European fashion capitals, Milan, London and Paris to the manufacturing and distribution of products.

The virtual entrepreneurs have to react to daily information about the markets and the style trends. They design, buy products, control distribution and manage shops as they build up their own fashion empires.

The advanced graphics designed by the game's developers at Impressionware show customers going into players shops and buying, or not buying, products. Then, at the end of each virtual trading day, players are presented with economic and financial reports showing their results.

Players can then reconsider their strategies depending on the preceeding days financial results. By demonstrating a good understanding of competitive markets and by making effective investment choices, players can expand their fashion empire across Europe.

The players may compete by sending their results to the Fashion Stock Exchange, which publishes rankings sorted by country.

Angelo Provasoli, Bocconi's rector, said: "We want Bocconi Fashion Empire to be a first contact with self-selected European young people with an interest in business and economics. More than 10 per cent of our undergraduate rookies are now from outside Italy and attend programs taught in English. We are eager to bring to Milan the best European talents".

Carol Lewis, the editor of timesonline.co.uk's Career channel, said: "Times Online is delighted to be working with Bocconi on the Fashion Empire. It is a fun game which is an excellent and stimulating way to learn business basics".

Times Online contact

Carol Lewis

Editor, Career,

Phone +44 20 7782 5661

Carol.lewis@thetimes.co.uk

www.timesonline.co.uk/career

Università Bocconi contact

Tomaso Eridani

Media Relations Office

Phone +39 02 5836 2324

tomaso.eridani@unibocconi.it

www.press.unibocconi.eu

About Impressionware Srl

Founded by game industry veterans in 2003, Impressionware has become one of the leading mobile game developers in Europe.

Impressionware has developed a number of titles targeting a wide variety of devices and carriers. In partnership with many of the major mobile games publishers Impressionware is currently creating a wide range of new games, based on well known brands and licences as well as original intellectual property. The ever growing Impressionware team is headquartered in Torino, Italy.

www.impressionware.com