LVMH Continues Luxury Retail Program

LVMH knows a thing or two about luxury.

LVMH, in partnership with the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) and Parsons School of Design, plans to continue the LVMH Fundamentals in Luxury Retail program through 2015.

The ten-week education and training program is designed to provide a wide range of retail skills to bilingual English and Mandarin speakers, including those who are unemployed and underemployed and individuals who have recently immigrated to the United States, to help them in gaining employment in luxury retailing. The first of its kind in the industry, the program includes classroom education at Parsons, led by professors from the school, LVMH professionals and CPC Workforce staff, followed by an internship program working in a retail store of one of the LVMH Group brands.

Of those enrolled in the program, more than 90% have completed it (a total of 41 individuals) and more than 70% of graduates had immediate job placement, with an average increase in wage per hour of more than three-fold, not including commission or bonuses.

Chantal Gaemperle, Group EVP, Human Resources and Synergies at LVMH conceived the concept for the program. She said, “We are delighted with the early success of this program, which is fulfilling our goal of addressing the needs of luxury retailers to best serve their Mandarin-speaking clientele while also helping to generate employment and enhanced economic opportunities for unemployed and underemployed immigrants in the United States. The goals of this program reflect a greater focus within LVMH of establishing creative, innovative initiatives across our Group that enable us to make a positive and enduring impact on society.”

The program will continue to receive support from The Robin Hood Foundation.

“Our core mission for this program and partnership has been to bring design education to those who may not have had access to it with the goal of positive, social change,” said Joel Towers, executive dean of Parsons. “The program participants have been deeply engaged and clearly committed to learning and putting their new knowledge to work. We are delighted by the program’s track record to date and the opportunity to see it continue.”