{"id":242,"date":"2015-05-18T19:08:42","date_gmt":"2015-05-18T23:08:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.fitnyc.edu\/gradstudies\/?p=242"},"modified":"2017-04-06T19:09:31","modified_gmt":"2017-04-06T23:09:31","slug":"p%e2%80%8baris-seminar-2015-news-from-luxury-industry-leader-guillaume-de-seynes-executive-vice-president-hermes-international","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.fitnyc.edu\/gradstudies\/2015\/05\/18\/p%e2%80%8baris-seminar-2015-news-from-luxury-industry-leader-guillaume-de-seynes-executive-vice-president-hermes-international\/","title":{"rendered":"P\u200baris Seminar 2015: News from Luxury Industry Leader Guillaume de Seynes, Executive Vice President, Herm\u00e8s International"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Guillaume de Seynes, Executive Vice President, Herm\u00e8s International.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

During each New York, Paris, and Hong Kong seminar, Global Fashion Management students meet to work in intercultural teams to analyze a business with the goal of recommending strategy in finance, marketing, or retail, for large companies or entrepreneurs. This process would be challenging enough if you were familiar with your teammates, their expertise, and their negotiating techniques. But GFM students seldom have this advantage. In the first seminar, they work across cultures with those they\u2019ve never met to come to consensus, relying on their colleagues\u2019 skills in merchandising, product development, finance, retail, design, marketing, or any number of specialties required to operate successful companies.<\/p>\n

\"Global<\/a>
Global Fashion Management students work in intercultural teams of professionals from\u00a0diverse backgrounds to offer complementary skills as they create strategies for their case study recommendations.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These skills were tested at the Paris seminar in April, when Herm\u00e8s<\/strong> came to Institut Fran\u00e7ais de la Mode to present the history of their extraordinary brand and the challenges they face. As demand increases for their products and the experience it offers around the world, the company came to GFM to seek advice on how they might deliver the highest standard of customer service on a level that\u2019s consistent with the expertise required to develop the products themselves.<\/p>\n

\"Herm\u00e8s<\/a>
Herm\u00e8s International executives offer feedback to students during their case study presentations. Corinne Feneon, Retail Activities Director (center); Florian Craen, Executive Vice President, Sales and Distribution (third from right); Guillaume de Seynes, Executive Vice President, Manufacturing and Equity Investments (with microphone); B\u00e9n\u00e9dicte Revol, Client Marketing Director (Right).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lead by Guillaume de Seynes, Herm\u00e8s International Executive Vice-President; Corinne Feneon<\/strong>, Herm\u00e8s International Group Retail Activities Director; and Thibault Hesse<\/strong>, Herm\u00e8s International Customer Experience Manager, students received a thorough history of the family and the brand, leading to questions such as, \u201cwhat does luxury mean to a contemporary \u2013 and younger \u2013 consumer?\u201d \u201cHow does a digital strategy fit into the future of an historic and revered luxury brand?\u201d And, “how do you identify and create a profile for a new consumer, and deliver the highest standard of customer service?\u201d<\/p>\n

Prior to arriving in Paris, and in their respective countries, students conducted primary interviews, collected data from database and digital sources, and most importantly, experienced the Herm\u00e8s store experience themselves in cities throughout the world, to better understand the brand values and culture. As students collected data, they communicated among themselves in advance of meeting at the beginning of April, comparing notes and setting expectations for their first meeting in Paris.<\/p>\n

The seminar\u2019s lectures added depth to several topics within the case study, and a final coaching session helped to sharpen the focus to the recommendations. In the final debriefing session at the close of presentations, Herm\u00e8s executives praised the teams for their insights and perspectives that were sometimes surprising and sometimes verified their assumptions, but ultimately made a valuable connection between the retail experience and the expectations of a digitally-engaged and global consumer.<\/p>\n

\"GFM<\/a>
GFM Students presenting their strategy recommendations to\u00a0Herm\u00e8s.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From FIT students\u2019 point of view, the following quotes:<\/p>\n

\u201cWorking with one of the most iconic luxury brands such as Herm\u00e8s provided an enriching perspective on French industry dynamics.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFascinating study on luxury with an international group. Always interesting to observe the initiative to make changes, yet the blindness to acknowledge what truly exists.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a \u2018one time in my life\u2019 experience to give a presentation in front of executives from Herm\u00e8s.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOverall, it was a great learning experience working with people who understand and value luxury and customer service in different ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExperience and practice are needed to understand and deal with these cultural differences.”<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving access to the thoughts and strategies of top executives from Dior, Chanel and especially Hermes helped inform the concepts our group put forth to assist in moving the luxury customer experience into the digital world. It was impressive to hear how important the customers are to these brands, and they all approach their interactions with consumers in unique ways.\u201d<\/p>\n