Third-year students in ESMOD Fashion Business, a business school specialising in
fashion, share their thoughts and feelings following the defence of their end-of-study
projects before a jury of industry professionals.
They’re certainly relieved, that’s for sure. Marie Riou, Nina Burgen, Oded Zamir,
Samia Kanaan, Thoe Wack and Augustin Trichard are students at ESMOD Fashion
Business who have just defended their end-of-study projects before a jury of
professionals. The defence had to be based on a brand extension or
collaboration project showcasing all of the skills acquired in the form of market
research, concept creation and the implementation of a marketing and
communications strategy for the launch of a new line.
The momentous occasion marked the culmination of three years of training at an
international school specialising in fashion and the ready-to-wear, luxury and
lifestyle sectors in general. “The jury really instils a sense of confidence”, Marie
Riou says. It has to be said that the stakes are high since the Bachelor’s
programme aims to train graduates to be immediately operational. The
curriculum, which includes long periods of professional immersion, places the
emphasis very much on the practical side of things, not only giving students a
thorough understanding of the professions involved in the fashion industry but
also enabling them to develop professionally through constant interaction with
practising professionals. From fashion design to the inner workings of a
collection, not forgetting the strategic and operational mechanisms at play when
it comes to marketing and the new issues presented by CSR and digitalisation,
alumni will have all the tools they need to enable them to fine-tune their career
paths, build their networks and increase their chances of being hired at the end
of the course. Read on to see what they made of it.
Marie Riou, 3 rd -year ESMOD Fashion Business student, Paris:
“The course really develops your sense of culture”
Planet ESMOD: What have you gained from these three years of education?
Marie Riou: It’s all happened so quickly. I’ve learnt so much, especially with
regard to marketing and communications, as well as the history of fashion. The
difference between arriving at ESMOD and realising you don’t know much and
the knowledge you’ve acquired by the end of your studies is really significant.
The course has really nurtured our sense of culture, and we’ve also made good
memories through making friends and meeting the lecturers.
Could you tell us a little bit about your thesis?
It’s been a long-winded process in terms of both the oral and written
components, and it really forms the basis of our third year. We had to come up
with a brand extension or collaboration project, so I chose to focus on the
collaboration between Dior and SpaceX, an American company specialising in
astronautics and space flight. I didn’t know anything about space, so I had to
learn more about that first, by listening to podcasts and going to the French
national library, and it was actually quite exciting.
Where are you doing your end-of-study internship?
At Dior’s Paris Saint-Honoré store. I’m a Client Development Manager assistant,
so anything to do with developing customer relations. It’s going really well and
I’m very, very happy there. The start of the 2023-2024 academic year then will be
my master’s.
Nina Burgen, Fashion Business Paris
“I’ve met some incredible lecturers”
Planet ESMOD: How did your thesis defence go?
Nina Burgen: Very well! The members of the jury said that I had produced a very
interesting, very comprehensive project, so I’m very happy. My project focused
on a collaboration between Drunk Elephant, an American innovative skincare
brand founded in 2009 by Texan mother Tiffany Masterson, and New York-based
luxury ready-to-wear fashion brand Coach, aimed at developing a ‘clean’ skincare
range.
How would you sum up these past three years of education?
It’s a comprehensive bachelor’s degree spanning everything from marketing and
communications to fashion design: colours, materials, the history and sociology
of art, computer graphics, etc., so you end up with a very good knowledge base.
From an interpersonal perspective, of course, you also get to make some great
connections. I’ve met some really interesting people, incredible lecturers who are
first and foremost, I have to say, genuinely interested in their students.
How is your end-of-study internship going?
I am doing my internship in the communications department at Soprima, a
company specialising in pre-coating that was founded 30 years ago. The
industrial side of the luxury sector, so to speak, and I’m working with key
accounts.
What are your plans for the future?
Finishing my bachelor’s degree in communication, for a start, and then
specialising in the design sector, and graphic design in particular.
What would be your dream job?
Artistic direction, of course! A job that would combine fun with creativity.
Oded Zamir, Fashion Business Paris
“For a loner like me, working in a group has been extremely beneficial”
How did the jury presentation go?
I think they liked it. Their reactions seemed to be positive, anyway, so I’m really
relieved (laughs). My project focused on the development of a grocery division of
French ready-to-wear fashion house Ami Paris, founded by Alexandre Mattiussi
in late 2010. I had to study the competition, the market and the economic
situation while linking the brand’s values in terms of design to this new segment.
What added value do you think an ESMOD Fashion Business education provides?
I’d say group work, first and foremost, particularly during the workshops
facilitated by professionals that take place in amongst the lectures. For a loner
like me, it was a very effective way of learning to collaborate with others to pool
our talents.
Where are you doing your internship?
I’m at the JLM Group, which I was already kind of familiar with because I’d
previously had the opportunity to do an internship there during my first year of
study. The company runs grocery stores and restaurants all around the world,
which is why I based my end-of-year project on this. I’m executive assistant to the
CEO and also in charge of artistic development. I consider myself very lucky.
Every time the group opens a new restaurant, I’m involved in designing and
creating the ambience, including the soundscape, the choice of furniture, etc.
Everything has to make sense from a creative perspective.
What is the next step for you?
First of all, a holiday (laughs). A month off before I get back to the grindstone and
start working my way into the world of fashion. I’ll also have the opportunity to
present my thesis to Alexandre Mattiussi and to Nicolas Santi-Weil, the CEO of
Ami Paris [editor’s note: winner of the Entrepreneur of the Year 2022 award for
the Ile de France region at the 30 th edition of the Entrepreneur of the Year
organised by EY, in partnership with HSBC, Verlingue, Steelcase and Bpifrance].
Samia Kanaan, Graduate, Fashion Business Paris
“What makes ESMOD magical is the feeling of belonging to a family”
How do you feel your thesis defence was received by the jury of professionals?
Honestly, I was really scared at first but it all worked out fine. It was a great
experience. I feel like that chapter is coming to an end and I can’t wait for the
next step! My project was called Balenciaga Casa and, as its name suggests, it
was designed to be a lifestyle division of the Parisian fashion house.
What has had the greatest impact on you during your time at ESMOD?
What has really struck me over these past three years has been the sense of
belonging to a family. What really makes ESMOD magical is the fact that every
student feels like they are at home, in a safe learning environment, but there’s
also this ever-present element of fun. It’s important to mention this because lots
of students come from all over the world. This really is an international course
where they do everything possible to make us all feel very close. The first word
that comes to mind is definitely ‘family’.
And what do you consider to be the strengths of the course?
In a nutshell, I’d say the practical experience, and the interface with the ‘real
world’ and the realities of day-to-day life in business thanks to the internships
and the many contacts we get to develop with professionals. There are so many
ways in which they enable us to gain an understanding of real business cases
while also coming into direct contact with them.
Can you tell us about your internship?
I’m Assistant Wholesale Manager at Parisian brand Timeless Pearly, created by
Leslie Chetrit. The brand designs costume jewellery with a vintage feel, so I was
clearly outside of my comfort zone in this sphere but I really enjoyed it, especially
the fact that I could be myself and express my creativity. My job in the wholesale
department [editor’s note: distribution via multi-brand retailers and independent
shops—the brand sells not to the end-customer but to shops that then sell on to
the end-customer] was to establish relationships with new customers and
maintain strong connections with existing customers. The brand has customers
on every continent, so I had to liaise with them, manage their purchases and
present the new collections in the showroom.
Any plans for the future?
First of all, I want to travel. I’d like to find a job in New York, maybe, before
returning to Paris to continue my education.
Théo Wack, Year group head, Fashion Business Lyon.
“Working on lots of practical cases makes us more agile”
Could you introduce yourself in a few words?
I’m 24 years old and I studied graphic design for three years, followed by a year
of computer coding in web design. I developed a passion for fashion a few years
ago, which led to me enrolling on the ESMOD Fashion Business course in Lyon.
How did your thesis defence before the jury of professionals go?
It went very well. In the end I was quite relaxed and I think the jury could see
that. I was proud of my project anyway—a collaboration between the very
familiar Salomon brand, which has been making sports and leisure clothing and
accessories since 1947, and Lyon-based label Arpenter, a ready-to-wear fashion
brand founded in 2011 that places the emphasis on local chains and networks. I
suggested developing an eco-friendly line of outdoor trainers, since Salomon
clothing and footwear are typically worn for outdoor activities, hiking and the
like, and the products resulting from this collaboration were aimed more at day-
to-day and urban use.
What have you gained from these three years at ESMOD?
We have acquired certain working instincts, like thinking a topic through
thoroughly to understand exactly what’s involved. Over the past three years
we’ve worked on practical cases involving brands, projects and communications
strategies, which has helped us become more agile in our thinking about
different aspects of the fashion world, as a result of which I now feel capable of
drawing up a communications or development strategy.
Could you tell us a little bit about your end-of-study internship?
It started last May and finished at the end of October and I did it with Lyon-based
brand Nosc, which sells technical, versatile and eco-friendly sportswear for day-
to-day life. It was founded in 2018 and sells clothing made either from recycled
materials or from bio-based materials, such as fibres made from castor oil, which
requires little water and grows on arid land. I deeply believe in responsible,
sustainable fashion that values craftsmanship, know-how and design. My role
within the brand was to put a smile on customers’ faces while designing
communications visuals, working on the website and even helping to deliver
parcels— quite a comprehensive experience!
Any plans in the pipeline?
Yes! I’m going to put everything I have into my clothing brand, Bisart, where I
work with artists to screenprint their work by hand onto pieces of secondhand
white fabric that I then sew onto vintage clothing. The pieces are unique, signed
and numbered and the artists get paid. I do everything, from A to Z. I really enjoy
it and I’m really looking forward to putting everything I’ve got into this venture,
even if it means taking on interns! If there are any students reading this who
might be interested, please get in touch.
Augustin Trichard, Graduate, Fashion Business Paris.
“I’m really applying the knowledge I’ve gained over the course of my
education”
Could you give us an overview of your end-of-study project?
It’s a co-branding initiative between Dior Homme and J.Balvin. It went really well,
it was great, and above all really interesting. I learned a lot from the relevant
feedback I got, but you’re still glad when it’s over (laughs).
What have these past three years of education taught you?
A lot! Including from an interpersonal perspective. Human contact was very
important, and I learned not only how to develop as a person but also how to
think. I’m realising this now on my internship as an assistant ready-to-wear
product manager at Berlutti [editor’s note: part of the LVMH group]. I’m really
applying the knowledge I’ve gained over the course of my studies, such as
learning to work on several different projects and to be organised. The fact that I
studied lots of different cases and got to look at a very wide range of issues
relating to different brands has also been very useful.
Can you give us an example?
I’m an assistant in the field of ready-to-wear fashion, so the fact that I’ve studied
a wide selection of brands offering very diverse ranges means that I can now
have an opinion on tailoring, outdoor wear, accessories, trousers, etc. I can
assure you that that comes in very handy when you’re an assistant product
manager in general.
Any plans for the future?
It’s going very well at Berlutti and I’m really thriving there, so I’d like to stay with
this wonderful company that offers extraordinary products designed always with
excellence in mind. Or maybe join the marketing department of one of the
companies in the LVMH group.
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