Have you ever walked by an Hermès store and stood there for a while gazing at the beautiful windows? With outspoken themes, colors and products used in the most creative ways, they’re truly like pieces of art. Some people don’t realize, but the work behind each window of every Hermès store in the world is extensive and difficult. We’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Maud Dardenne, who worked at the Windows Department of Hermès International as a Project Manager. She reveals what she studied, what it was like to work for such an important brand and is giving advice to girls who want to follow the same career path.
What did you study?
I did a Bachelor and Master in Business Management & Marketing specialized in luxury (Mod’Art International) and a Master in Business Management in Modern and Contemporary Art (Warwick University).
How did you get the internship at Hermès?
I found an advertisement by the brand on their (and other) recruitment websites for an “Artist Project Manager” position for the Windows Department. It was the only job at the verge of the two industries I studied for and it enabled me to combine both passions in one job. I was very excited to work for a renowned brand I respected for years, and working with artists to realize projects all over the world. What else can you ask for? I had one phone interview which was at an unexpected moment, so I was unprepared. But I managed to get to a second interview, and then proceeded to a third interview with the department manager. And well… I guess she liked me 🙂
What was a typical day at the office?
To be honest, there was no real typical day at the office. As a project manager, I was serving as central point of contact for management and coordination of over 35 global projects. It might not seem like a lot, but we were only two in the department and were liaising with many international contributors and the communication teams of all subsidiaries from the offices in Paris. Working several projects at a time which are all at different stages, with different artists and in many different countries means that there is so much diversity and things going on that no day turns out to be like the previous one. Also, the role enabled you to liaise with so many other internal departments and collaborate or participate to so many events, you were learning new things every day!
What was the most awesome project you’ve worked on?
Every artist project was as exciting as the other. Because they all have their own identity, every interpretation of the brand and what it stands for is extremely different, which makes the work they deliver for the brand so unique. Generally, working with artists can prove to be quite a challenge as it is hard to push them in a certain direction. However, at Hermès artists have quite a lot of freedom to express themselves and build out their project. The most awesome part was to see how a project evolved from the first draft to the finalized window display. Some artists are so talented, and when you allow them enough freedom they are able to create really magical environments.
On top of that, I was working on an exciting project which provided me with even more exposure. It was a big project that involved us working with an amazing agency in the UK. This was one of the greatest projects while I was working there, as I have been able to learn so much more that went beyond the scope of the job.
What advice can you give to young girls wanting to work as a project manager in visual merchandising?
Finding a job in the fashion industry is tough, I won’t lie. Competition has grown stronger over the past few years (especially since the rise of social media), expectations of employers have increased, more specialized MAs are offered, jobs are scarce, you name it. Overall, it has become harder to differentiate yourself.
So first of all, you have to be passionate about what you do! Working with artists/decorators/agencies on window projects is a job that is all about visuals and pleasing the eye or catching someone’s attention on the street. This is why you need to constantly keep your eye trained and make sure you go out searching for inspiration in your spare time (on the street, fairs, galleries, exhibitions, architecture, books, markets, travel, etc.).
Secondly, be prepared! If you work for a certain company, you need to be able to fully understand the brand in order to determine which are the best possibilities to pursue that stay in line with its vision and values. That is when you will truly succeed on the job. So make sure you have done your research before applying or going for an interview. You can even come up with some ideas or examples that you think would be suitable for their next project (that worked for me!). Finally, I believe staying true to yourself and your identity (both as a person and as a professional) is key, as I think it is becoming more and more rare to find genuine people.
