Mon Métier d’Excellence
I’m Chief Design Officer at Thélios, LVMH’s eyewear specialist. I design and create eyewear collections for our Maisons, in particular Dior, where I’ve worked for over 20 years. I work closely with the creative directors of the Maisons, helping them conceive and create their eyewear, which is a very specialized category. The approach is very distinctive for each Maison, so with my team of designers we liaise with the creative directors and marketing teams at the Maisons to create new collections for each season.
What I love most about my métier
I love the never-ending challenge of creating something new each season. You have to have great curiosity and be ready to think disruptively to discover things outside your area of expertise. It’s tremendously exhilarating to continually create new models, to succeed in surprising yourself and keep pushing your limits.
The most important things you need for this métier
In addition to being curious, you obviously need to know how to design things. And I’d say it’s essential to be able to feel and interpret the spirit and the identity of the Maisons you work for. You have to forget yourself to some extent to embed your creativity in the universe of the Maison.
My advice for someone starting out in this profession
Have fun. This is a chance to practice a creative métier, and above all, it should bring you pleasure. If there’s too much frustration you can’t be as creative. And again, be curious, because that’s how you stay fresh and surprise yourself.
An anecdote
A few years ago we did a collection with Rihanna and it was an amazing experience. I spent an entire afternoon with her in a studio to work together on creating a pair of glasses. Spending time with an iconic talent such as Rihanna is unforgettable. There were hundreds of people waiting to get a glimpse of her on Avenue Montaigne. It’s an amazing memory, particularly since she was so involved in the creative process, especially the design and selecting the materials. It was really delightful to work with her.