Lucien Pagès on Managing the Media Landscape for Fashion’s Top Brands

When it comes to the concept of “flow,” the fashion PR Lucien Pagès is Exhibit A. He has carved out a dynamic career in communications by following his instincts, keeping an eye on the big picture, and always staying true to himself. He explains to  Christopher Michael in this episode that his  Lucien Pagès Communications team is laser-focused on two things: identifying what makes a designer unique and then excavating that treasure for others to see.  An avalanche of new communications channels has profoundly changed the media landscape since Lucien started as an aspiring designer working for legendary houses like Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent in the 1990s and since he founded his PR agency in 2006. Yet, his personalized made-to-measure style of messaging is evergreen. No matter the platform, Lucien’s branding is all about capturing the unique humanity and vision embodied by his notable and up-and-coming clients: “The way we express fashion at its best is when we bring emotion.”

Highlights:

• The impact of early apprenticeships with heritage couture houses like Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent in the 1990s—a colorful fashion epoch pre-dating social media.
• The importance of staying current and curious, as Lucien’s mentors modeled for him, and he now models for—and derives from—the young people in his team.
• The role of communications in linking brand, designer, and media remains constant, even if social media has transformed the landscape. Today’s marketing, PR, and brand management is all about working a spectrum of channels, from Instagram influencers and mainstream magazines to TikTok and live runway shows.
• Is the fashion show dead? “To the contrary,” says Lucien. It’s lights, cameras, action—an expression of the industry that energizes creatives at all levels, of all ages. They’ve also been democratized by the advent of live streaming for an audience of millions.
• Web 3.0: Is it a thing? The wave may be coming, but it will break first in more tech-centric worlds and undoubtedly find adoption in the fashion industry, which took a minute to adapt to Web 2.0.
• Are heritage brands a thing of the past? Lucien wondered whether it was possible to establish a flagship fashion brand like Armani or Givenchy in today’s environment; he sees new talents like Simone Porte Jacquemus building a self-sustaining house.
• Is brick-and-mortar still a thing? Lucien believes storefronts are critical to creating an immersive experience that animates design and compels customers.
• Why Lucien Pagès Communications keeps focused on what it does best: Harnessing the power of media influencers across all channels to bring designers and brands to life.

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