Testimonials

Alumni Testimonials

The LVMH Chair was one of the main reasons I joined ESSEC, and it has delivered on all fronts.

The Chair was a key to the elusive world of luxury; beyond the company visits and conferences that allowed us to gain deeper insight into the strategies and operations of LVMH Maisons, we were able to apply the knowledge we learned to real-world problems faced by top brands today through the T2 and T3 business cases.

The Chair was also a powerful career springboard that helped me secure my upcoming merchandising internship at Dior. Expect to be bombarded (not a joke) with employment offers at Maisons, to meet plenty of alumni and key decision makers, and to receive tailored advice on how to carve out your own path in luxury, courtesy of our two amazing professors and our lovely coordinator Josiane.

Perhaps most importantly, the Chair gave me a space to befriend and grow alongside a group of driven and inspiring peers, connected across cultural differences by our passion for luxury.

Much like the luxury industry itself, the LVMH Chair is a chair that’s demanding—you need to be almost fluent in French to make the most of networking opportunities, you need to keep an open mind and challenge your ideas and approaches, and you need to always be ready to deliver 110%. But as long as you’re willing to put in the effort, there are so many rewards to be reaped.

Yukki Qiu

LVMH Chair 2025

I entered the LVMH Chair as an outsider—no French, no background in luxury, and unsure of where I belonged. But over six transformative months, the Chair became my compass. I found myself immersed in brand strategy workshops, exchanging ideas with maison leaders, and celebrating a Clash of Titans win in the vineyards of Champagne. Through the Chair, I applied to the Women@Dior x UNESCO mentorship—an experience that allowed me to join a global sisterhood and build on my past NGO work in ways I had never imagined. With a clear vision in mind, I also committed to improving my French from scratch—driven by the desire to truly integrate and contribute. By the time the Chair ended, I felt ready to take my first real step into fashion with an internship at Christian Dior Couture as Assistant Merchandiser for Men’s Shoes.

With the LVMH Chair, we weren’t just taught the industry—we were invited into it. Between private sessions at the maison HQs, a rich alumni network, and deep exchanges with peers from wildly different paths, the Chair made the impossible feel tangible. Today, as I begin my next internship with L’Oréal as Assistant for La Roche-Posay's EU Zone Marketing team, I carry more than skills—I carry the confidence of belonging. If you're standing at the edge of opportunity, wondering how to begin, know this: the Chair doesn’t just open doors—it shows you how to walk through them.

Juhi Yeturu

LVMH Chair 2024

My experience within the LVMH Chair has been as enriching as it was inspiring.
It gave me both strategic and operational insights into the luxury sector, thanks to a strong balance between rigorous academic teaching and hands-on projects like the Clash of Titans. That practical case was truly eye-opening, as it confronted us with real, high-level challenges.

The Chair also helped me secure my apprenticeship at Parfums Christian Dior—a key milestone in my career path, which ultimately led to a full-time position.

Beyond the skills I developed, I also found a strong network and a genuine team spirit.

Shana Auger-Mongenot

LVMH Chair 2024

Participating in the LVMH Chair has been both a joy and a profound learning journey for me. The blend of high-level academic courses with direct industry insights has given me a comprehensive understanding of the luxury market that I could not have gained elsewhere. Courses like Luxury Brand Management and Luxury Retail Management didn't just expand my knowledge; they equipped me with the analytical tools necessary to navigate and influence this dynamic industry. The unique seminars, featuring seasoned professionals from the LVMH group, and company visits to maisons, vineyards, were particularly enlightening. They provided us with rare 'behind-the-scenes' perspectives that bridged theoretical knowledge with real-world applications. One of the most rewarding aspects of the Chair was the direct exposure to the industry’s challenges and innovations by doing various projects with different LVMH maisons. This experience has been invaluable, influencing my career decisions and fostering a deep appreciation for the luxury sector’s nuances. I wholeheartedly recommend the LVMH Chair to anyone passionate about pursuing a career in luxury. It’s more than an educational experience; it's an inspiring journey that prepares you for future challenges and opportunities in the luxury world.

Zirina Liu

LVMH Chair 2024

The LVMH Chair at ESSEC was a truly unique opportunity to deepen my understanding of the luxury industry. I especially valued the way it combined academic perspectives with professional insights — a perfect balance between theory and real-world application. One of the highlights for me was working on concrete projects for prestigious maisons, which made the experience even more hands-on and professionally rewarding. I also loved how the program allowed us to explore luxury through a sociological, historical, and philosophical lens, adding a rich cultural and intellectual depth beyond the traditional business approach. The diversity of guest speakers helped me discover the wide range of roles in the industry, and it was during the Chair that I developed a real interest in retail merchandising — a field that has since become the starting point of my career. Being part of the Chair was a strong asset on my CV: it played a key role in securing my final-year internship at Louis Vuitton in retail merchandising, and later helped me land a VIE position as junior retail merchandiser in their New York City office.

Hortense Favier

LVMH Chair 2024

The LVMH Chair at ESSEC was a pivotal chapter in my journey. Over six months, it offered far more than academic insight by seamlessly bridging theory and practice: from strategic courses on branding, consumer behavior, and fashion history to immersive field projects with inspiring professionals, conferences, behind-the-scenes visits to iconic maisons, and exposure to cutting-edge innovation at places like VivaTech and Station F. What made the Chair truly unique was its ability to connect the heritage of luxury with the realities of today’s business challenges while creating space for reflection, experimentation, and meaningful exchange.

It also encouraged me to take a more proactive stance in shaping my career. Even though I already had solid prior experiences in the luxury sector, the Chair proved to be a real value-add whether you are just starting out or have more advanced expectations. Indeed, it opens unexpected doors, not only to new roles but also across métiers, brands, markets within the industry and career paths you might not have considered. While I initially leaned toward marketing, the Chair sparked a deeper interest in the strategic challenges luxury brands face today.

After the Chair, I joined Fendi’s Retail Program in Italy, where I had the opportunity to work at the heart of the business. It gave me a hands-on perspective on how luxury is delivered daily, from client experience and performance management to team leadership and retail excellence. The Chair played a key role in shaping that direction. It gave me the mindset, exposure, and tools to approach the luxury industry with both critical thinking and a clear sense of how I could contribute

Victor Weidmann

LVMH Chair 2024

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