Mathilde Drié, BSB'17 : 50 shades of blue

Did you know? Longchamp's ready-to-wear department is twenty years old. 400 models are created each year, divided between two collections. That's where Mathilde Drié comes in. "The models are designed by our artistic director and her stylist. Together with an assistant in charge of materials, I oversee the process from design to delivery of the garments. This involves a series of three successive prototypes and the supervision of our subcontractors. It's all very fast-paced! 

Mathilde's role involves project management, with a strong technical dimension, but also price control and, of course, a keen eye for customer desires. "Previously, I worked at Vuitton, in an essentially technical role, industrializing the post-fashion show collections. At Balenciaga, on the other hand, as collections coordinator, I had a conductor's role, federating a diversity of contributors".

A native of Dijon, Mathilde Drié arrived at the school with a lot of desire, a passion for sewing and the certainty that she would have to fight very hard to live her dream. "At school, I learned two things that have never left me: the legitimacy of my ambition and the ability to stay in my place. This may seem contradictory, but in my eyes it's the secret to following through on your aspirations. Mathilde followed the Bachelor's program, then the Master Grande Ecole. "I took full advantage of all the opportunities offered by BSB in terms of teaching and international exposure. For example, I went on an Erasmus trip in the 3^e year of the Bachelor's program and did a gap year in the United States as an au pair. 

That's for the international dimension. As for internships, Mathilde followed a classic curriculum, starting in retail sales. "The trigger was my end-of-year internship at Vanessa Bruno, where I was assistant to the Development Manager. There, I experienced a tsunami of information for six months in the workshop, in the company of mechanics, cutters and other seamstresses".  

Is BSB already a long way off, with that tsunami and the aftershocks that followed? Not at all! I attach great importance to making myself available to alumni and students. I always respond to contacts on LinkedIn, pass on CVs and talk to young graduates. Participating in admissions juries is also a way for me to keep in close touch with the school.

As you can imagine, the creation of the MSc in Luxury Management and Innovation did not go unnoticed. "I watched with great interest as the MSc was set up. I think it's particularly interesting for the school that it's making its mark with ambition in a field of excellence". Finally, Mathilde Drié's definition of luxury: "For me, luxury is being able to see the difference between Azur blue and King blue. Not always obvious the first time, but essential if I am to be respected by my Artistic Director!"