A conversation with...Pierre-François Le Louët

A conversation with...

Pierre-François Le Louët

Pierre-François Le Louët grew up surrounded by fashion. Now at the helm of the strategy consultancy firm, specialised in forecasting for the creative industries NellyRodi and Vice President of IFM Alumni, he didn’t immediately find his footing in the industry. Pierre-François blends wonder with pragmatism to carry out his missions: uniting people in fashion—because he believes in the power of the collective—and highlighting an industry he holds dear.

Do you remember your first real encounter with fashion?

I was more or less born into fashion, so I have many memories, but one of the most striking is undoubtedly a huge fashion show held between the Eiffel Tower and the Trocadéro Gardens in 1987. All the major designers of the time presented looks; there were 950 models walking the runway and around 120,000 spectators. The show ended with a magnificent firework display. I remember it as a magical moment. It was such a financial black hole for the organisations that backed it—it would be impossible to pull off something like that today.

What does the IFM Alumni association mean to you?

IFM Alumni is our lifelong link to the Institut Français de la Mode and the time we spent studying there. It’s an incredible network—undoubtedly the most influential in our sector. It’s our responsibility, as IFM graduates, to keep it alive and help it grow.

Was there a meeting or encounter in your career that changed everything for you?

When I first took real steps into the fashion world while studying at IFM, I received very little support. I spent all my time in a suit and tie, attending endless job interviews that never led anywhere. Recruiters didn’t know what to do with me—or simply didn’t want to hire Nelly Rodi’s son. I distinctly remember one executive from a major brand telling me outright that his superior had blocked my recruitment. So, I began my professional career in the cosmetics industry at L’Oréal, after eighteen interviews with that venerable company—and I have no regrets. But during that time, one person always kindly encouraged me: Didier Grumbach, then Dean of the faculty at IFM, President of Mugler, and President of what was then the Fédération française de la couture, du prêt-à-porter des couturiers et des créateurs de mode. He was the one who inspired the subject of my final dissertation: the financing of fashion designers in Europe. Later, when I took over the French Federation for Women’s Ready-to-Wear—which at the time had a rather toxic relationship with the Federation of Haute Couture and Fashion—he was the very first person I contacted to tell him that everything was going to change. Didier Grumbach awarded me my first decoration, naming me Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters, and helped me gain entry into the Cercle de l’Union Interalliée. Twenty-five years later, we’re still enjoying good times together.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in the world of creative and strategic consulting?

Develop a strong sense of listening. Build a cultural foundation to put things in perspective. Stay curious. Use your imagination to invent the future—and be rigorous in your thinking.

Interview by Sophie Dajez (IFM MS 2023)
After studying social sciences and communications and gaining professional experience in the art world, Sophie Dajez completed the Fashion and Luxury Management Masters at the Institut Français de la Mode in 2022. Sophie now writes for brands, fashion houses and magazines and is co-founder of Backstage Fashion Talks.