Initiated by Alain-Dominique Perrin and Michel Guten (Cartier International), the first training course for luxury professions celebrated its thirtieth anniversary yesterday. Three decades during which more than 10,000 professionals have been able to pass on their skills to future managers and entrepreneurs in the sector. More than 3,500 graduates are now practicing their talents all over the world.
Yesterday too, Sup de Luxe set fire to Paris. But while the rubbish bins were burning on the Place de la Concorde, the school was celebrating its 30th anniversary not far from there, in the Cour de Rome, in the vast hall of the Compagnie 1837. The atmosphere was just as fiery, but much more peaceful. For the occasion, the Alumni Association of Sup de Luxe brought together about 180 people for a charity gala evening worthy of the event: luxury industry players, alumni, school organizers, but also personalities such as Jean-Pierre Raffarin, the former Prime Minister, and Françoise de Panafieu, the former Minister of Tourism and councillor of Paris.
Nice recognition
The initiators of this beautiful adventure, the charismatic and enterprising Alain-Dominique Perrin and Michel Guten, were also obviously there. And this, despite his almost 90 years of age, was a good thing for the latter.
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The Chairman and Managing Director of Cartier International had the pioneering idea, in 1990, of creating “the first training course in the luxury industry, by and for professionals”. The idea has since been imitated by many other players, schools and universities. But Sup de Luxe has managed to stay one step ahead. Since its creation (in 2015), its Bachelor’s degree has been ranked No. 1 by Eduniversal, in the Bachelors and Bachelors in Luxury Management category. And in 2022, its MBA Luxury Brand Marketing & International Management was ranked fifth among the best masters in the world in Luxury Management and among the fifty schools listed, in first place in France. The main criteria taken into account in this ranking are the recognition of the programme by recruiting companies and the school’s active approach to them, the placement (salaries and positions held) of graduates and finally student satisfaction.
An expanded programme
Established since 1996 at the Ecole des Cadres (now EDC Paris Business School), Sup de Luxe has joined the international higher education network of the Planeta Group. Its programme has expanded considerably: in 2015, it launched the Bachelor of Luxury, specializing in business and marketing, and the Master of Science (MSc) Global Luxury Management with CGE (Conférence des Grandes Ecoles) accreditation. In 2020, it will launch the MBA Online Luxury Management and obtain CGE accreditation for the MSc Fashion & Luxury Business. In 2006, Sup de Goût was also launched, designed to train future managers in the field of gastronomy and French savoir-vivre. Several Chairs have also recently been created with prestigious partners in the sector, following the example of the Cartier Chair initiated in 1990. The Chair “Excellence in Sales Professions in the Luxury Sector” was launched in 2022 with the Vranken Pommery-Monopole wine group, while the Chair “Innovation & Entrepreneurship in the Luxury Sector” was created this year with the French watchmaking company March LA.B.
10,000 luxury professionals
More than 10,000 luxury professionals have met with Sup de Luxe students since 1990, during conferences, seminars, workshops and other memoirs. The highlight of the programme is the “Grands Témoins” conferences, during which 300 leading names in luxury, communication and culture, such as Guillaume de Seynes (Hermès), Nicolas Bos (Van Cleef & Arpels), the designer Chantal Thomass and Géraldine Dobey (Mandarin Oriental), have come to share their experience.
Since 1990, more than 3,500 students from all over the world have graduated from Sup de Luxe, and more than 2,500 of them are now part of the active Alumnis network.
Many of them came to meet yesterday, around a cocktail, a sit-down dinner and a dance, punctuated with animations. The most striking event was the auction by Julien-Vincent Brunie (Christie’s) of gifts offered by partner luxury brands (Bernardaud, Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, etc.). Some of these, such as Heavenly jewellery, Rose et Marius Haute Parfumerie de Provence and Springer & Fersen watches were founded by Sup de Luxe graduates. The amount raised, over 38,000 euros, was donated to the Fabrique Nomade. Founded in 2016 by Inès Mesmar, this association works for the professional integration of migrant and refugee art craftsmen in France. Several of its protégés, with their precious know-how, now work for luxury brands.
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