Interview - Laureen Alzat
I met Laureen through work, when she was brought on as Merchandizer for Fame and Partners, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge about buying, range planning and the commercial side of fashion. I thoroughly enjoyed those days working alongside Laureen, bouncing ideas off one another in a very fast-paced, kind of crazy environment. I really miss the team vibe we had back then! Lots of laughs amongst the mayhem!
I’m so excited to share this interview with anyone who’s interested in this side of the fashion industry, as well as reading about an awesome woman.
Can’t wait to visit your cheese and wine concept store ;)
x Lucy
The Questions:
Name: Laureen Alzat
Current location: Los Angeles, California
Where are you originally from/what is your family heritage? Born and raised in a small town in the center of France named Berry-Bouy French countryside/ pretty remote. Grew up in my great grandfather's weekend house that my parents have been working on renovating since then. Spent most of my time between bike rides, horseback riding and local flea market treasure hunting. Always loved to travel, spent 8 years in Spain between Barcelona and Galicia before making the big move to the U.S and finally landed in California 3 years ago.
Laureen in her natural (and very stylish) habitat
I always love seeing Laureen’s #ootd and home snippets on Intsgaram, as well as lovely travel and beach photos.
Current occupation, industry and title: I am a consultant/Director of merchandising in the fashion industry. Basically my role is to help brands create, alongside with design, a commercially successful collection from concept to delivery to consumer.
Years in current industry: 13 years wow times fly!!
Total working years: 13 years
What did you study or train or get experience and where? I studied business management with a masters in international business, I was always fascinated by the business and how things work. I started my career in Spain and worked in fashion buying for several years at Mango and then Zara in Galicia. I got recruited for a buying position in Anthropologie in the U.S where I spent a little over 4 years and then decided to make the move to Los Angeles where I started consulting for mostly start-ups and contemporary brands.
What is the best and worst part about your job? Best: Creativity!!! Worst: having to second guess yourself constantly.
What do you think needs to change in your industry? So much work to do! Obviously moving towards more clean/sustainable fashion is an urgent one to address, controlling the inventory - getting out of this over-producing/promotion cycle is key. More than anything finding a purpose again! So many brands lost their true self or connection to who they are (their true expertise) by fitting into a calendar cadence or getting influenced by the latest trending instagram buzz-worthy brand.
This global pandemic really put a much needed halt on the over consumerism and people are starting to understand that less is more. Focusing on durable, better quality products instead of the latest trendy ruffle/puff sleeve sweater at the best price.
I have been doing this for over a decade now and truly miss quality fabrics, attention to details, craftsmanship that we used to work with, that this never ending race for margin made totally impossible to afford nowadays.
I am loving this French mother/daughter duo based in the northern of France @maisoncleo - all deadstock luxury fabrics and trims sourced locally, made-to-order, size inclusive! Made every week by her mother in their atelier. They do an amazing job at their communication, sharing the true cost of their garments and pushing other brands and designers to do the same.
That’s who the industry should be learning from :) enhancing your heritage and craftsmanship and producing at a true cost!
Time to go back to basics.
Is your industry female or male dominated? Mostly female which is always a very rewarding experience, I had the chance to work alongside some amazing women that helped me grow and taught me so much.
I was always amazed by one of my managers; 3 kids, just gave birth to her 3rd child and was running the team and the company like nothing was happening!! Always made a point to leave on time to spend time with her family even if that meant getting back online later at night. I think people tend to forget how much women have to sacrifice to be successful and that multitasking is truly key!
What is the biggest misconception people have about you and/or your job? People tend to only see the frivolous part, shopping/trying on garments with your friends shouldn't be that hard right?? Etc… Well, actually it’s way more complex than that!! Tons of pressure especially nowadays with the industry changing so much on a daily basis and the fear of the unknown, financial repercussions/deadlines - you name it! I have had to make many decisions that directly impact the revenue of the company I worked for on a weekly basis, so yes it’s not only about playing dress-ups…
What's something you wish people told you about your industry/job before you dove into it? How hard it will be! The crazy hours :) the amount of rolling racks you’ll have to push around.
Is your industry generally supportive of individuals and peers? I actually had mostly positive experiences maybe because I am pretty easy going myself but really didn't experience most of the stigmas of the fashion industry. I worked for global brands as well as start-ups and honestly always had positive experiences, despite the pressure and the crazy hours. I met some talented inspirational people that helped me grow as well as amazing friends along the way meeting people from different cultures and backgrounds.
I think the key to make it work is really accepting that it takes a team to get things moving and forget about your ego.
Have you ever considered leaving your industry? If you have, what other industries did you work in and why the change? Well I go back and forth especially nowadays as we are going through a transition phase, with the global pandemic people consumption habits have changed and many brands have struggled to stay afloat…the market has been so over saturated.
I do really enjoy decorating so would love to explore more of this, it always has been a creative outlet for me and love traveling and treasure hunting. If it wasn't for fashion I would say that my passion for natural wine and good cheese and home decor would be something I would be willing to explore full time.
Basically a cheese and wine concept store type filled with flea market gems I guess?
What's the favourite thing/item/project/person you've worked on? So many good ones!! I truly have been lucky to work and meet so many talented people through all my different career experiences. Probably some of the most notable one would be when I had the chance to work with Rebecca Taylor during one of my latest freelancing contracts. It was truly inspiring to see how she has been approaching this industry and design with such a 360* lens, always paying attention to details and really curating a cohesive brand experience more than feeding into best sellers with no soul.
India fashion week was definitely also one of my favorite experiences! Having the chance to experience it twice and seeing the enthusiasm and passion people have for their traditions and how they are moving fashion forward is truly remarkable. I came back with a heart full of memories for the colors, scents and amazing food and people I had a chance to meet along the way.
If you have your own business, what made you decide to go for it? The feeling of missing out, being slightly out of touch with what was really happening! Getting out of my comfortable corporate bubble and exploring new opportunities. Working for a smaller structure brings lots of challenges but it’s really rewarding to see people taking risks and see them paying off in such a short amount of time everything is so much faster.
What are some pros and cons of working for yourself? Pros: Work/life balance! Time to get a hike in before a morning call is life changing, really made me feel I could finally enjoy the Californian lifestyle. More time to travel and connect with people, don't get me wrong it’s a lot of work you are your own boss but managing your own schedule time to time is kind of rewarding after being bombarded by TBs on my calendar for so many years!!
Freelancing has given me the freedom to really focus on working for brands that I believe in and see potential in. Getting out of my comfort zone spending time meeting people exploring and getting to know so much more about the industry! From fast fashion to made-to-order evening and most lately accessories, it’s been an amazing learning curve.
Cons: Well, stability - always being in the unknown on what's next and probably sometimes lack of resources, you know, that start-up life :)
What did you think you wanted to do career-wise when you were a teenager? Went through many phases… I did at some point consider being a lawyer thanks to Ally McBeal! But mostly knew I wanted to do something creative related to business and always gravitated toward fashion.
Do you like to listen to music while working? If so, what are your jams? Yes!! For sure I am usually more a soul groovy/ bossa nova playlist type of girl but can also go full on with French 70’s and 80’s throwback. It all depends on the mood of the day!
How has quarantine/the pandemic affected your job/career? It has really changed how we approach our work, not being able to touch fabrics and see garments on a fit model was an adjustment. I felt so much closer to my team since we had to really rely on each other's expertise. Overall I would say that the workflow was much more fluid, less office drama! We had to re-imagine my living room in a design studio. My cat was loving it!
Also really carved some time to work on some passion projects of mine, it’s crazy the amount of time you gain when you are not commuting or socializing anymore.
And finally had some time on hand to work on some of my dear and close friend’s lifestyle brand. It's been a super fun venture. Focusing on values such as togetherness and positivity is basically everything we need in times of a global pandemic :)
Insta: A Love Unlimited
Are most of your friends from your current industry? If yes/no why do you think this is? Mostly yes! I think it’s an industry where you work and meet so many diverse people with different backgrounds with one thing in common, passion for what we do and that usually ties you together.
What would be your last meal? An homage to French cuisine: leaving with a bang! Foie gras, duck confit, best bread and some of my favorite cheese!! + wine obviously!
Laureen can be found in all of these places:
Insta: @laureenal
LinkedIn: Laureen Alzat
Insta: A Love Unlimited