Conference at the "Luxury & Art de Vivre" club on October 18

On October 18, the "Luxury & Art de Vivre" club organised its first conference followed by an aperitif. The main topic of the evening was trademark licences. Around thirty of us met up at the Victoria Cross where Emilie Bénéteau and Stéphane Lacroix discussed the subject to mark the publication of their book Luxe & Licences de Marque/Luxury and Trademark Licenses, published by Eyrolles. The debate continued long into the evening and we would like to thank our speakers for making the question and answer session so lively.

Opportunities or risks? Some licences can offer a significant opportunity to stand out from the competition and create value, while others may put a company in some jeopardy. Finding and then managing licences in the luxury sector can prove to be a key success factor.

- How does the use of trademark licences fit into a brand’s development strategy?
- Just how far can a brand go without losing its specific identity?
- What advice would you give brand owners and licensees to create sustainable business together?

Emilie and Stéphane spoke about their experience, offering a new perspective on the issues at stake. Combining their business acumen with academic expertise, our speakers provided us with a clearer understanding of the licence, its actors, challenges and benefits, as well as how to identify the potential risks and how to prepare for them.

An HEC graduate, Stéphane Lacroix manages a consulting agency that helps leading brands to develop their licences abroad. His expertise is based on many years of experience in the beauty (L'Oréal), fashion (Elle and Cacharel) and luxury (Le Jacquard Français and Lancel) sectors.

After graduating from EDC Paris, Emilie Bénéteau studied marketing and communications between Paris and Canada and worked on several projects linked to major luxury brand strategies, notably for Chloé International and the TBWA/ Auditoire agency.     

The evening also provided an opportunity for the "Luxury & Art de Vivre" club to present its team of ambassadors and to explain its aims and activities for the year 2012-201. These include conferences, evening networking and private visits to exceptional places linked to the Luxury market!

If you’d like to know more about our activities or would like to  join the club, then go to our Luxury & Art de Vivre Club page on www.edhecalumni.com > How to Network? > Develop your network > The professional clubs