What a Retail Club Field Trip Taught Me About Careers in Fashion

I have a background in transportation and logistics and a passion for sustainable fashion. When I learned about the environmental harm caused by overconsumption and fast fashion, I changed my habits: I started using mostly secondhand clothes and thrifting as my primary source of fashion. Now, I’m proud to say that more than 85% of my closet comes from secondhand sources.

When I first began my MBA at Yale SOM, I wasn’t sure how this interest could translate into a rewarding job, but coming here expanded my horizons. Meeting people from different industries, backgrounds, and countries opened my mind. Through events and discussions organized by the Center for Business and the Environment’s sustainable fashion initiative Moving the Needle, I realized that a career in this space is possible.

Also, during my first year at SOM, three amazing classmates—Maggie Boreham ’24, Kelsey Niehoff ’24, and Rachel Szarka ’24—revived the school’s Retail Club after a long hiatus. I decided to join the club’s leadership team because I wanted to help grow our presence in industries beyond consulting and banking. As co-president this year, I’ve been connecting with alumni in retail and fashion. The alums I’ve contacted have always been willing to help and talk, which is something I really value about our community. As a result of our work to rebuild the club, this year we had the opportunity to host a trek to the luxury conglomerate LVMH’s offices in New York City—marking the beginning of what we hope will be a long-lasting relationship with LVMH and its “Maisons,” or brands.

After months of planning with Jasmine Humphrey, the company’s director of campus and cultural engagement for North America, we finally had our event on April 11. We started the day by taking an early-morning train from New Haven, eager to arrive by 10 a.m. When we arrived at the LVMH Tower on 57th Street in Manhattan, the team was waiting for us on the 21st floor, with incredible views of the city and LVMH merch.

We had intentionally curated an intimate event so each student could engage personally with the LVMH team. Jasmine kicked us off with an overview of the company and what it takes to succeed there. Even though LVMH is the world’s largest luxury company, its culture feels more like that of a smaller, entrepreneurial company. They look for people who can be agile, creative, and comfortable navigating ambiguity. It was especially inspiring to hear about their strong commitment to women’s leadership—65% of LVMH executives globally, and over 70% in North America, are women.

Learning about the luxury industry firsthand was fascinating. Unlike many other retail companies, luxury brands focus on creating experiences. Today, more than ever, luxury is deeply intertwined with broader cultural trends; examples include Sephora’s partnership with the WNBA, which blends sports, beauty, and empowerment. We learned how flagship stores have evolved into destinations, offering elevated experiences beyond shopping. Tiffany’s flagship, The Landmark, includes a museum; Louis Vuitton’s New York store features a café led by renowned chefs.

We also got a window into LVMH’s business model. While each Maison operates independently in areas like human resources and hiring, LVMH provides centralized services for areas like finance. We were fortunate to hear from Jill Pemberton, a Yale College alum and the CFO of LVMH North America. Jill shared insights from her incredible career, which has spanned industries like luxury, media, healthcare, consumer goods, airlines, and automotive across different countries. On top of her finance focus, she also took on roles like strategic planning and chief of staff, experiences that ultimately prepared her for her current leadership position.

One of Jill’s most powerful pieces of advice was to remember that careers don’t follow a straight line and to be open to learning from every opportunity. She emphasized the importance of understanding different stakeholders’ perspectives, gaining cross-functional experience, and broadening one’s global understanding. Her words resonated deeply with me, especially now as I prepare to graduate.

Hearing about Jill’s journey reinforced something that SOM’s curriculum has taught me: the value of a cross-sector, cross-functional mindset. In today’s complex world, being able to navigate different perspectives—and cultures—is more crucial than ever.

I’m excited to see where the Retail Club—and our relationship with companies like LVMH—go next!