If you dream of working for luxury brands like Saint Laurent and Dior, a competitive degree from Paris-based ESSEC Business School could very well unlock the door. The Local sat down with a current student and a recent graduate of ESSEC’s Global MBA in Luxury Brand Management and asked: Why Paris?

Location, location, location

It might seem obvious, but being nearby to the brands you want to work for is a huge advantage. While there is something to be said about trying one’s luck in up-and-coming places, if you’re looking to get ahead in the luxury industry, especially in brand management, there is probably nowhere better to start than Paris, the capital of luxury.

As Xi Yu, who completed her Global MBA in Luxury Brand Management at ESSEC Business School in 2018, points out, the abundance and diversity of opportunities in Paris is invaluable.

“Because there are so many opportunities in Paris, and so many paths you can take even in niche fields, you can fine-tune and calibrate your professional trajectory,” Xi Yu says.

Find out more about ESSEC’s Global MBA in Luxury Brand Management

Work with top designer brands

As rewarding as studying might be, most professional development is driven by some kind of holy grail. For budding luxury brand managers, the goal is often to work with iconic Paris-based brands such as Dior, Montblanc, Céline, Saint Laurent, and Gucci.

For Xi Yu, her studies in Paris helped her transition from a managerial position in the car industry into the luxury travel retail industry at her dream employer – DFS at LVMH Group in Paris. After completing her final three-month consulting project with DFS, Xi Yu was offered a full-time position, and currently, she holds a managerial position in the opening team of DFS’s new department store in Paris.

 “I’m completing my rotation & training of DFS’s Accelerated Leadership Program in Hong Kong. In two weeks’ time, I’m going back to Paris to head up store operations of the upcoming store,” says Xi Yu.

Meet the right people 

As most professionals know well, to get the first foot in, regardless of how qualified you might be, can often be the hardest part of landing the job of your dreams. Merely being close to the right opportunities is not always enough: connections matter a great deal, particularly in certain industries – the luxury industry being one. With over 25 years teaching luxury brand management, Paris-based institutions such as ESSEC Business School have a close relationship with the luxury industry and link up students with their network of industry connections.

Alex Qian, a current student at the Executive Master in Luxury Management (EMiLUX) at ESSEC Executive Education, has attended seminars given by guest speakers who work at heritage brands such as Gucci, Prada, and Dior. She appreciates the opportunity to connect with industry professionals and to learn from them about what it takes to stand out to headhunters and recruiters in the competitive luxury industry.

“Being in Paris means that ESSEC can work closely with the industry and the other way around, too,” says Alex Qian, who also works full-time at French cosmetics brand Make Up For Ever and aspires to land a position in brand strategy at Tom Ford after the completion of ESSEC’s two-year program.

Find out more about ESSEC’s Executive Master in Luxury Management

Learn French – the lingo of luxury

Acquainting yourself with your industry is a must for anyone who hopes to rise the ranks. For luxury, being so enmeshed with France and French culture as it is, mastering the language of the land is a good investment. French is the workplace language at many luxury brands – even iconic German creative director Karl Lagerfeld was a lifelong learner of the language.

ESSEC alumni, many of whom pursued intensive on-campus French courses during the duration of their studies in Paris, attest that learning French was a key factor for professional success in Paris. For Xi Yu, her strong grasp of French was applauded during her first job interview in the city.

“Once I was admitted to ESSEC, I started taking full-time intensive French lessons in China – which helped me prepare for seizing job opportunities in Paris’s luxury industry,” says Xi Yu.

Rub shoulders with Paris’s crème de la crème

Paris’s world-renowned luxury industry is a magnet for international talent. Whether you’re just starting out or are an established professional, there are plenty of opportunities to connect and share knowledge and experience with fellow industry bods. Business schools such as ESSEC enable students to build their networks as they study. The connections they make are invaluable for support whilst at the business school – and may come in handy later down the line.

“Most of my peers are already established in their respective fields, and some already have their own luxury business. My encounters at ESSEC have been eye-opening and career-defining,” concludes Alex Qian.

This article was produced by The Local Creative Studio and sponsored by ESSEC Business School.