Jalis Vienne : Hello Mr. Romatet. I am truly honored to speak with you. Would you mind introducing yourself?
Xavier Romatet : I’ve served as the Director General of IFM, Institut Français de la Mode, since September 2019. Prior to that, I spent 20 years in the communication industry, primarily at DDB. My journey in the fashion sector began in 2006 when I assumed the role of President at Condé Nast, then as Director General of IFM.
J.V : You have had an exceptional career, being a multi-entrepreneur, president of Condé Nast for 12 years, and now leading the prestigious IFM. What is the common thread in these different roles?
X.R : There are two common elements that have marked my career. First, creation: in advertising, media, education, or creatives, all have a creative dimension that gives them a strong personality, a particular behavior, and specific demands. I have great respect for creative individuals who combine talent, vision, and emotions and require a specific approach of management. All creatives need a framework to express their talent and respectful, attentive authority to push and protect them. Secondly, freedom, which to me is priceless. I have been fortunate in all phases of my career to have great freedom of action, whether in the company I created «Directing» then at DDB, a French division of an American company, in a family business like Condé Nast, or a non-profit organization like IFM. It is not the legal form or the nature of the shareholders that influences the degree of freedom you can have but the project you carry, the ambition you have, and the trust you inspire that gives you the necessary freedom to undertake and develop. Finally, the common thread in my career is the passion that has always driven me. Passion for entrepreneurship, embracing challenges, fostering collaboration, and exploring diverse subjects and universes in which I have evolved.
J.V : How do you perceive the current French luxury market, especially regarding fashion products and their communication? Are there any significant challenges that stand out to you?
X.R : France is the undisputed world leader in fashion and luxury, and this is anchored in time, particularly in the history of Louis XIV, Versailles, and the Court, which initiated the development of multiple know-how in Paris that have persisted and marked objects of unparalleled aesthetic quality. This French tradition was then carried on by renowned couturiers (Madeleine Vionnet, Elsa Schiaparelli, Coco Chanel, Christian Dior...) who developed Haute-Couture and then invented ready-to-wear. These skills have elevated creative talent and fostered its global development under visionary entrepreneurs like Bernard Arnault, François-Henri Pinault, the Wertheimer brothers, Jean-Louis Dumas, who created world-class Maisons. French luxury companies LVMH, Chanel, Kering, Hermès, and L’Oréal have built on unique creativity, mastered know-how, and effective management. Like all industries, fashion and luxury today face new challenges: geographical shifts with geopolitical crises, societal changes with a demand for more social and environmental responsibility from younger generations, and technological impacts with digitalization and artificial intelligence.
J.V : Consumers and fashion aficionados now want luxury brands to be ethical and socially responsible. Meanwhile, Asian and Middle Eastern customers want brands to extend their narrative like an endless chewing-gum. How do these two needs come together? Are we seeing a comeback of craftsmanship?
X.R : Fashion and luxury must not lose, in their global expansion, the roots that constitute their existence: luxury is the «beautiful» associated with the «good.» A beautifully crafted piece, aesthetically pleasing, executed with meticulousness and precision in material selection, assembly, and enhancement. This constitutes a sustainable, timeless luxury, steeped in history, and resistant to time. This meets a universal demand.
J.V : Returning to your role at IFM, which you lead, could you discuss what differentiate IFM from other fashion schools?
X.R : IFM aims to become the world’s leading fashion school, which makes sense given Paris’s position. The school stands out for three characteristics: the academic excellence of all our programs, from the CAP in couture (first level of professional qualification in France) to the Master of Arts in Fashion Design, including the Bachelor in Management, to the highest academic accreditations, made possible by 45 permanent teachers in technique, style, humanities, and management. The diversity of our 15 differents programs, which meet the needs of fashion and luxury houses, but also the geographical, cultural, and social diversity of our students, fostering the crossing of multiple perspectives. Our foundation, gifted by around forty industry partners, allows 40% of students to pay none or only part of their fees. IFM is a place where all talents and cultures intersect.
J.V : What was Pierre Bergé’s initial vision when creating the Institut Français de la Mode?
X.R : When Pierre Bergé created the school in 1986 with the support of the Ministry of Industry, he believed that fashion required particular expertise that was not taught in traditional business schools. He also had the intuition that it was necessary to bring together managers and designers within the same school and establish a dialogue between them.
J.V : In the age of technological revolutions, what is IFM’s involvement in promoting innovation and research?
X.R : Research is a vital component of the school’s mission. We now have about fifteen PhDs or doctoral students in humanities and social sciences, management sciences, or engineering sciences. Additionally, we have five teaching and research chairs with leading Maisons that advance on various innovation fronts: societal innovation with a focus on inclusivity in beauty with Mane, environmental sustainability with the Kering Chair, artisanal innovation through the Chanel 19M Chair, or technological advancement and AI driven by the LVMH Chair. These chairs are led by researchers who supervise teaching in the disciplines covered by these partnerships. These are resources given to IFM to explore different territories. The more a teacher embraces research, the more precise their expertise becomes.
J.V : How do students and your leadership as director ensure the passionate appreciation and long-term preservation of expertise, given the close link between innovation and tradition?
X.R : 350 students are enrolled in one of our craftmanships programs. The culture of technique, the ability to make a garment with great care, is at the heart of all curricula. Savoir-faire is what makes fashion and luxury different, sustainable, and justifies its value. They are undeniably a pillar of the school, and like all our teachings, they are future-oriented and innovative. We continue to closely monitor the contributions of new technologies in this field.
J.V : Are there any lessons from your experiences that you put to use for your students and teams at IFM?
X.R : Certainly, experience is instrumental in avoiding mistakes and gaining confidence. There are three fundamental principles that I strive to instill: a penchant for risk-taking, recognizing that progress often demands embracing risks and overcoming the fear of failure; a sense of collectivity, regardless of individual talent, success is a collaborative journey built on mutual trust; and intuition : trusting one’s inner guidance is essential for effective decision-making.
J.V : What role does fashion play, in your opinion, in societal progress? Do you think there are still spaces of emancipation and freedom that fashion need to take on ?
X.R : Fashion feeds off society and reflects it. It draws inspiration from the times with its questions, doubts, and vision. But fashion has also been a vehicle for societal symbols: women’s emancipation, inclusivity, body liberation, dialogue between peoples. Many territories remain to be explored as society evolves.
J.V : Apart from fashion, what are your greatest sources of inspiration?
X.R : I think that to evolve in the fashion world, you need to be curious. A diverse, eclectic curiosity, from theory to museum life, books to series, reality to virtual, trends to history, successes to failures. This mix of ever-renewed sources creates imaginations.
J.V : Any advice for the younger generation?
X.R : Believe in yourself, in your potential to transform society. Challenge the order. Be in harmony with yourself and never give up.
J.V : Finally, what is your definition of luxury?
X.R : Luxury combines a different relationship with time: an object, a garment, an experience that stands out, a quality made of details that constitute the essence. Luxury is a state of mind, an idea that transports you elsewhere, and provides a feeling of well-being.
