Fanny Moizant, a MiM’01 alumna, was welcomed to the Reims Campus on 12 March as part of the “Inspiring Encounters” initiative. It was an opportunity for her to talk to our students about her career as co-founder and president of Vestiaire Collective, one of France’s 26 unicorns. Our students also asked her about environmental protection and the role of women in corporate leadership.

A first experience at NEOMA

 She feels that this period was extremely enriching for her, particularly as it introduced her to entrepreneurship. It was through her role as Vice-President of the BDE, which operates very much like a business, that she discovered, for example, how to manage a team and a budget. Fanny also saw the benefits of her time at NEOMA in being able to open up to others, something she had previously felt rather shy about doing.

The Vestiaire Collective concept

 It all started with a passion from which Fanny wanted to make a living: fashion. But fashion also happens to be the world’s third most polluting industry. So it was with the ambition of fighting against waste and extending the lifespan of her wardrobe that the idea of selling second-hand luxury items was born. It came to fruition in 2009 with the co-founding of Vestiaire Collective, with 5 other partners.

Environmental responsibility, the core mission of the company

 Fanny recalled the importance of CSR for her company, which she even describes as its raison d’être, since Vestiaire Collective is now the largest collection of second-hand luxury items. Obtaining B CORP certification in just one year, one of the most stringent certifications in the world in terms of environmental responsibility, is for her a source of credibility and legitimacy to take action, particularly against the over-consumption caused by ‘fast-fashion’.

The entrepreneur asserts that Vestiaire Collective is committed to continuous improvement in this area and remains “actively activist”.

A woman entrepreneur

In a world that she feels is built on masculine codes, linked to power and vertical hierarchy, Fanny has preferred to operate on a more horizontal basis, putting people at the heart of the issues that drive Vestiaire Collective.

The entrepreneur confides that when you’re a woman, even at the head of a unicorn, you tend to doubt yourself more than men. That’s why she likes being a role model, representing women who have had the courage to take the plunge and hold the highest positions in corporate leadership.

The four pillars of Vestiaire Collective

• Keeping prices reasonable
• Ensuring a wide range or products
• Promoting a different kind of consumption
• Increasing the longevity of each item