© Marie Flament

The Métiers d’Excellence de LVMH is back on tour, visiting cities across France (Paris, Reims, Orléans*, Lyon and Clichy-sous-Bois) to meet future talented employees, engaging with middle school, high school and university students, as well as people interested in reskilling opportunities. This annual recruiting event for uniquely skilled Métiers d’Excellence at LVMH in Creative, Craft and Client Experience professions enables people to discover the broad range of training programs available, from work/study programs to internships, as well as current job offers in over 30 professions, from stylist and clothes designers to leathergoods artisan and sales advisor.

First stop: Paris, Palais Brongniart – February 15

The “You and ME” tour kicked off in Paris at the Palais Brongniart, with three times as many job offers in 2023 at LVMH Maisons, sending a strong signal to young people eager to begin exciting careers in LVMH Métiers d’Excellence professions, as well as those interested in reskilling. Chantal Gaemperle, LVMH Group Executive Vice President Human Resources and Synergies, welcomed the numerous attendees at the inaugural event, joined by Olivier Klein, Minister of Cities and Housing, and LVMH Métiers d’Excellence ambassador Tony Parker.

“Our uniquely-skilled métiers are actively seeking future talents! LVMH Maisons have huge recruiting needs in everything from leather goods and jewelry to retail, hotels and much more. The first edition of “You and ME” in 2022 was a tremendous success. Now we’re setting out again to connect with both young generations and people with reskilling plans throughout France, offering over 3,500 jobs to be filled in 2023 across the country. We want to inspire true vocations in highly-skilled métiers that promise wonderful careers. I’m absolutely delighted to have Tony Parker with us again this year as ambassador of the event,” said Chantal Gaemperle, LVMH Group Executive Vice President Human Resources and Synergies.

“The Tony Parker Academy and LVMH’s Métiers d’Excellence share a commitment to inspiring vocations and passion among young people. We share the same values. Young people have no idea of the many different professions that are open to them. I love telling them: “If nobody laughs at your dreams, it’s because you’re not dreaming big enough!” emphasized Tony Parker, founder of the Tony Parker Academy.

Upon entering the venue, visitors took a deep dive into the amazing savoir-faire practiced at LVMH Maisons, thanks to workshops led by artisans with a tangible passion for their métiers. Louis Vuitton demonstrated the craft of trunkmaking, while Le Bon Marché hosted a snakes and ladders game to show the distinctive selling codes at the renowned department store. Celine invited people to try their hand at complex stitches executed to tailor a garment, and Cheval Blanc Paris presented ultra-refined arts de la table’. These demonstrations provided attendees with a firsthand look at some of the unique skills practiced, including a chance to put questions to the craftspeople. There were also virtual reality headsets to experience a day in the life of a leatherworker at Moynat, a sales associate at Louis Vuitton, or a baker at La Grande Épicerie de Paris. All these experiences are designed to spark the kind of curiosity that lets people imagine themselves practicing one of these exceptional métiers.

To continue further along the orientation path, visitors were able to take part in coaching workshops with human resources teams from LVMH Maisons. With tips on writing résumés and application letters, as well as prepping for a job interview, participants were encouraged to take their vocational plans to the next level. At the end of the visit, attendees were invited to a Job Dating corner with numerous job offers featured on tablets, where they could leave their résumé in a special mailbox. Another innovation for this year’s edition is “You & ME la Prépa”, a free online training course that lets people learn more about the many métiers available across the LVMH Group and prepare their application.

Following the French dates, the “You and ME” fair will visit three cities in Italy, starting with Florence on April 15th.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian is supporting marine biodiversity conservation by teaming with non-profit Longitude 181 for initiatives to help protect sperm whales in the Mediterranean Sea. Founded in 2002 by oceanographer François Sarano, Longitude 181 works to protect exceptional biological and cultural diversity across the planet.

Co-founder and CEO Marc Chaya and Francis Kurkdjian have taken this civic-minded step to protect sperm whales, which have been classified as a “vulnerable” species. This commitment has particular resonance for perfume.

Ambergris, a precious natural substance, is a gift from cachalots, or sperm whales. Its distinctive scent intensifies, evolves and matures under the effects of ocean salt, UV rays and air. It has been employed as a fragrance-enhancer since centuries, but given the rarity of natural ambergris, it has been replaced by synthetic molecules.

© François Sarano / Longitude 181

Thanks to funding from Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Longitude 181 has launched a new mission as part of its WhaleWay program (in French, La Voix des Cachalots, or “The Voice of Sperm Whales”) in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of France’s Port-Cros national park. One of the primary goals of the program is to better understand how sperm whales live in order to protect their environment and enable them to thrive.

This commitment is another illustration of concrete contributions by LVMH Maisons to the environmental policy set out in the Group’s LIFE 360 environmental roadmap.

Find out more about Maison Francis Kurkdjian cultural and environmental philanthropy on the website.

© Louis Vuitton

From Milan to Paris, LVMH Fashion Maisons – Patou, FENDI, Dior, Givenchy, LOEWE, Louis Vuitton, – present their visions of the contemporary woman’s wardrobe for the coming season.

Under the glass roof of La Samaritaine, Patou artistic director Guillaume Henry presented a collection entitled “Shopping Chronicles”. Carrying chic Caddie® shopping bags, bucket hats on their heads and shades perched on their noses, the silhouettes meandered with ready-to-roll fantasy. Laced-up thigh-boots designed in collaboration with Maison Ernest set off a wardrobe for women on the go in monochrome colorways of red, black, lavender, pink or burgundy. Shimmering puffers segue to velvet evening dresses, cozy knits are joined by denim, and high-cut smocks are worn over pencil or deep slit skirts. Patou bags are carried over the shoulder or in the hand, ready for every moment of the day amidst plays of materials and volumes. Pleated mini-skirts and crop tops reveal some skin, and hair bows underscore the feminine allure of the Patou muses.

© FENDI

For this season’s showcase in Milan, Artistic Director of FENDI Couture and Womenswear Kim Jones explores classicism and elegance through the lens of subtle subversion. Drawing inspiration from the wardrobe of jewelry designer Delfina Delettrez Fendi — the daughter of Silvia Venturini Fendi— the designer plays with binaries and gender archetypes in a deconstruction of ladylike sophistication. Masculine tailoring is twisted into feminine forms throughout the collection, including boilersuits, aprons and uniforms. Lace is layered and flashes of fetishism appear through peeks of lingerie or thigh-high lace-up boots, while draped dresses are bias-cut. In a punk perspective, knitwear appears cleanly slashed or gently warped for a nonchalant silhouette. The wardrobe includes satin dresses romantically trailed by billowing scarves. The Italian house also introduced the new FENDI Multi bag, an homage to the multipurpose sensibility innate to Fendi.

© FENDI
Dior

For her Dior Fall/Winter 2023-2024 collection, Maria Grazia Chiuri delved into French post-War style, inspired by three icons of the 1950s, Catherine Dior—Christian Dior’s sister—Edith Piaf and Juliette Gréco. Against the backdrop of a bold and organic décor entitled Valkyrie Miss Dior, a monumental work created by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, the silhouettes expressed a femininity that goes against the grain, at the same time rebellious, strong and fragile. Floral motifs, a nod to the legacy of Catherine Dior, embellished mottled effect or poplin fabrics. Coats, jackets and straight or “corolle” skirts come in tartan fabrics. Black – a color that Edith Piaf and Juliette Gréco cherished – is predominant throughout the fashion show, but there are also shades of ruby, emerald, topaz yellow and blue.

© Dior
Givenchy

Matthew M. Williams proposes a contemporary dialogue between Parisian chic and American cool for the Fall Winter 2023 Womenswear Collection. Structured tailoring – including long black coats developed in the Haute Couture atelier – is joined by sophisticated sports- and workwear. Cashmere, sweats and denim pieces are worn under shell jackets lined in shearling. The fluidity of lavallières and fine wool becomes a proposition of both empowerment and comfort. Leather dresses both hands and bodies in jackets that reveal legs and smocked leather dresses. Evening silhouettes introduce floral colors – spring green, gracious mauve and pink rose – a blooming nod to the heritage of Hubert de Givenchy. The fish motif twists around the feminine body, joined by a whirlwind of pearls, resonating with the Maison’s archives. Accessories include the new Voyou bag with biker details on luxury materials, reflecting a vision of a woman with affirmed confidence. The finale is a majestic black triangle tulle dress built on a corset and pleated entirely by hand.

© Givenchy
LOEWE

In this season’s women’s collection, LOEWE creative director Jonathan Anderson continues the reductionist act that started with the FW23 men’s collection. In a pristine white space, silhouettes walked against a set featuring colored confetti cubes by Italian artist Lara Favaretto. Materials followed one another in a succession of silk duchesse and satins, feathers, leather shirt-jackets and outsized faux fur coats. Shapes blur as a trench coat morphs into a dress through the magic of an out-of-focus print, or pants that collapse into leather boots. Between dawn and long nights, a bustier dress evokes a sheet pulled off a bed, confetti remains stuck to pumps, while coats and boots sparkle with festive spirit. With their textures of buttery leather, fuzzy shearling and multiple wearing options, accessories complete the silhouettes. With its gold chain, the new Squeeze bag begs to be grabbed, alongside oversized Puzzle totes and Paseo bag and the leather woven leather baskets, shining a bright light on exquisite LOEWE craft.

© LOEWE
Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton Artistic Director of Women’s collections Nicolas Ghesquière took over the vaulted galleries of the Musée d’Orsay to present his new collection. Silhouettes were set off against a scenography by artist Philippe Parreno and production designer James Chinlund, featuring a concept based on sound illusions conceived by composer Nicolas Becker. French style reached beyond codes under the bright lights. Accompanied by a symphony of everyday sounds – steps, heartbeats, horns playing, urban alarms, rainstorms, dogs barking and more – models walked the runway with their faces framed by luminous masks or highlighted by micro-mirrors. They carried fresh takes on iconic Vuitton bags for this new journey of style. Echoing French heritage, a Paris street-name plaque morphs into a bag stamped “1854 Louis Vuitton Paris”. Melding tradition and bold creativity, French couture by Louis Vuitton is never frozen in time. It embodies the confluence of savoir-faire, technical prowess, discovery and artistic ideals. The art of reappropriation informs boots that imitate skin tones or the whiteness of a pair of socks. Volumes expand knitwear, pants and scarves are clasped with tiny clarinet, tuba and trombone brooches. Like a musical obsession, the instruments gleam with joyful copper reflections around the neck, or morph to match looks in blue, white and red iterations. Ethereal sleeves, V-necks on trapeze dresses and leather patches or skinny belts highlight the feminine body. Actress, friend of the House and brand ambassador HoYeon Jung walked the runway in a stunning embroidered flower dress to cap a collection ready for a stroll down the streets.

In conjunction with International Women’s Day, Dior and UNESCO hosted the latest edition of the UNESCO & Women@Dior Global Conference. The event at UNESCO headquarters in Paris celebrated education, equal opportunity, inclusion and gender equality, the priorities at the heart of the Women@Dior mentoring and educational program.

Initiated in 2017 by Emmanuelle Favre, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Christian Dior Couture, the program has provided support for female students in nearly 60 countries. Women@Dior is designed specifically for a new generation of women eager to create a more sustainable world. In 2020, this commitment led Dior to join the Global Coalition for Education created by UNESCO. Each year some 400 young women benefit from mentoring around five core values for Dior: self-awareness, empowerment, inclusion, creativity and sustainability. The day culminated with the presentation of the winners of the Dream for Change Project. Five teams presented their project to encourage the independence of girls in their local communities. The prestigious jury was chaired by Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior Artistic Director for Women’s collections, and included documentary filmmaker Loïc Prigent.

The young mentorees and their mentors had an opportunity to dialogue with leaders from LVMH, Maison Dior and UNESCO. Franco-Iranian actress Mina Kavani and Hafsat Abiola, President of the Women in Africa organization, shared inspirational messages in speaking about their commitments. During this event marked by the power of sisterhood, Chantal Gaemperle, LVMH Group Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Synergies, Emmanuelle Favre and Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education at UNESCO, all shared their visions of the empowerment of women. Charles Delapalme, Managing Director of Christian Dior Couture and Monika Figlewicz, President of Christian Dior Couture China, discussed the role of men as allies for the success of women in both professional and personal domains. Maria Grazia Chiuri spoke with Karishma Swali, Artistic Director of the Chanakya Ateliers and founder of the Chanakya School of Craft, about the themes of feminism, creativity and craft. Successful women entrepreneurs Hyojeong Kim, founder of NomadHer, and Maud Caillaux, creator of Green Got, were also among the guest speakers, offering insights on creating businesses with positive social impact.

To cap the inspiring day, mentees and professors from prestigious schools including the Institut Français de la Mode (IFM)) EFAP (L’École des Nouveaux Métiers de la Communication), created a collective work of art to be passed on to future cohorts. The duo Ibeyi provided musical entertainment during the conference as well. A video of the event will be available on the Christian Dior Couture LinkedIn page and the official Women@Dior site from March 13.

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