Luxury Business Secrets with LVMH Chairwoman

What business school won’t teach you about luxury. How do you work in luxury fashion? This is inside LVMH's playbook. This week, I'm joined by Pauline Brown, former Chairwoman of LVMH North America, Harvard Business School professor, and author of Aesthetic Intelligence. Pauline shares the lessons she learned leading some of the world's most iconic luxury brands. We cover a lot, from why climbing the corporate ladder doesn't always bring more freedom, to the mistake most people make when planning their careers, and why she believes taste will become one of the most valuable skills in the future of work. We also dive into what luxury brands understand about consumer psychology, how Dior and Chanel think differently from startups, what it really takes to break into companies like LVMH, and why Pauline convinced Harvard Business School to create a course on The Business of Aesthetics. Whether you're building a brand, growing your career, or simply trying to develop better taste, this episode is packed with frameworks you'll think about long after listening.In this episode, we cover:Navigating a career pivotHow she transitioned from consulting to fashion and beautyThe biggest career mistakes young professionals makeWhy taste matters more in the age of AIHow to stand out when applying to luxury brandsThe psychology behind iconic brands like Dior and ChanelWhy attention doesn't always lead to salesThree questions to ask before starting your own companyFollow Fashion & Founders:Podcast IG: @fashionandfoundersPodcast Substack: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Website: fashionandfounders.comPodcast TikTok: @fashionandfoundersPodcast LinkedIn: Fashion and FoundersPodcast YouTube: Fashion and FoundersPodcast Links: Shop MyFollow Pauline Brown:IG: @paulinegarrisbrownBook HEREBrunello: The Gracious VisionaryWatch the documentary film HEREIG: @brunelloilvisionariogarbatoThank you to this episodes's sponsor Blue Fox Entertainment!Thanks for listening!