the future is female

MyOrigines had the opportunity to speak with Cécile du Chesnay, Director of Retail Marketing and Customer Experience for the Interparfums Group.
For more than 30 years, Interparfums has conceived, designed, produced and distributed prestige perfumes (Boucheron, Coach, Jimmy Choo, Kate Spade, Lanvin, Moncler, Montblanc, Rochas and Van Cleef & Arpels).

Cécile du Chesnay joined Interparfums in 2013 after 15 years with the LVMH group, where she developed international marketing strategies for Christian Dior, Givenchy and Fendi fragrances.
Improving and developing the customer experience is at the heart of her profession.

5 questions for Cécile

At the moment, in France, women occupy only 30% of management positions. What would you say to a woman who aspires to work in the beauty world in a management position?

My advice is to be determined, believe in yourself and trust yourself completely. It is essential to work together with everyone. I am in favour of solidarity between women, because there are many of us and we share the same challenges. Other women should not be seen as competitors, but as allies. By supporting each other, we can move forward and achieve our goals.

Has your mother or a woman close to you played an inspiring role in your projects, in your daily life? In what way?

Yes, a lot. In fact, I was always surrounded by strong, curious women who were interested in the world. In particular, my mother, who was a pharmacist, was very careful in her choice of products and very professional in her work: she cared about the perfect dress and presentation. My grandmother and my mother were very inspiring to me.

Has there been a defining moment in your career?

Yes, I would say there are two that were particularly important for my promotion. The relaunch of Fendi fragrances on the French market and the creation of the operational marketing department at Interparfums. On the Fendi brand, it was an exciting experience thanks to the test and learn approach, the study of different launch scenarios and the close collaboration with the commercial and financial teams.

For the past 10 years, I have been in charge of Interparfums' operational marketing and I continue to learn every day in an extremely multi-brand and multi-market environment. It is important for me to challenge myself in order to develop in this sector. I am grateful for these positions and I would not be where I am today without these challenging experiences.

What is the best beauty advice you have received from a woman close to you?

My mother has always had a pragmatic approach to life and I think that's something I've picked up on. She taught me the importance of removing make-up carefully and taking care of yourself. It may not sound glamorous, but it's important at any age, including taking care of your feet!

Another piece of advice she gave me was to eat a healthy, balanced diet, avoiding excess. A healthy diet reflects on the skin and teeth and can contribute to good health. In short, diet is extremely important.

Your 5 must-have products for a busy day?

Food compliments. At times they can help me to gain energy. Especially during the winter when it's a bit difficult like this sad January. I can't go out without my deodorant, which is essential! I can't leave home without perfume, and I reapply it several times a day. Also, powder and lipstick. These are all products that I always have in a drawer of my desk, to feel good all day long.