In today’s episode of IFA Sustainability series, IFA’s MBA student Patricija Eglite has an insightful conversation with IFA’s graduate Henry Stern. Henry graduated from IFA in 2022 and has since started his journey as a professional in fashion. During this conversation, Henry speaks about his experience moving to Paris, his studies of fashion marketing at IFA, the path from being a student to building a career in fashion, as well as tells us about the company he’s currently a part of - ReSee. ReSee is fashion’s first luxury reseller that changed the second hand market in fashion. Henry lets us know what sets ReSee apart from other luxury resellers, how the impeccable curation is done and the importance of resale. This episode is a valuable listen to any young fashion lover who dreams of pursuing a career in the field. Henry’s story is a personal insight of the reality of being a fashion student in Paris, and the advice he gives will be beneficial to anyone.
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Read the interview below:
Patricija (00:01):
Welcome to the IFA sustainability series, conversations with global designers and fashion professionals that dig deep to uncover what it takes. Hello everyone. My name's Patricija, and I'm a Master's in media student at IFA Paris. Today's guest is a very special one. He's someone that I met during my fashion marketing Bachelor's studies here at IFA Paris, and he's now a young professional working in fashion. In this episode, we're going to talk about moving to Paris for studies, being a student at IFA, the path from being a student to working in fashion, as well as we're going to touch on sustainability and resell culture as today's guest works at fashion's first luxury reseller ReSee. It's my pleasure to introduce you to Henry Stern.
Henry (01:14):
Thank you for having me, Patricija.
Patricija (01:15):
Thank you for coming on the podcast. So can you please do a quick introduction to the audience about yourself?
Henry (01:24):
Yes. So, hello everyone. My name is Henry Stern. I'm originally from New York. I moved to Paris pre-Covid 2019 to pursue a degree at IFA Paris.
Patricija (01:34):
So as you said, you're from New York, which is one of the fashion capitals. Do you think growing up in such a fashion conscious environment has influenced you when you were growing up and sort of sparked your interest in fashion?
Henry (01:47):
100%. Just being in New York, being on the street, people watching, you see, because it's such an unconventional melting pot and seeing how people put things together, it's so amazing. And that inspired me initially to do draping when I was younger and got me into fashion and then I could see such amazing exhibits in Manhattan and then all of that grew from there.
Patricija (02:11):
So growing up there, did you always know that you were going to pursue fashion professionally, or did you think that that was maybe just the passion in the moment?
Henry (02:20):
I actually didn't know, because you're kind of put in American society in this, ''you have to go, you go this way or you go this way'', and it's very serious. It's definitely very business oriented. So I didn't know if this was something that I could really professionally branch out into and sustain a living. I didn't even know if that was a possibility at that point. But then going older, you recognize your strengths, you recognize your weaknesses. I'm like, oh my god, business and passion for fashion, put that in. There's a huge market for that.
Patricija (02:52):
So you grew up in a fashion conscious environment. You were living in New York, yet somehow you ended up in Paris. Why is that so?
Henry (03:01):
Yes, so I was always interested in French because I do have a few French roots and that prompted me to study the language and then to travel here. And I always loved seeing the fashion here, that definitely sparked a curiosity in me and made me wanna come back and experience life here.
Patricija (03:18):
And was it a hard decision for you to decide to move across the world from New York to Paris?
Henry (03:25):
No.
Patricija (03:25):
No?
Henry (03:26):
I was kind of just here and I in secret toured some schools and then went home and applied and got in, and I told my parents, "this is it". Because you know, that's the doors open. This is your time to get yourself through the door. You can always go. But 10 years down the road that might not have been a possibility.
Patricija (03:42):
And once you got here to Paris, was it easy for you to adapt to the city, to a new culture, to a new language and all the cultural differences?
Henry (03:52):
It definitely was not easy. All of that taken into account, it is not easy because the mindset is extremely different here. The daily life is extremely different here. There's such a preserved culture that ,you know, you really see that there is a set group of values to help preserve that. And I know that's such a beautiful thing, but I do come from a more progressive background.
Patricija (04:14):
And what was the process for you to come to Paris when you decided that you wanted to come here to actually ending up here?
Henry (04:23):
So I had applied into a few schools and then once seeing what my options were at the end and weighing the pros and cons, I just decided to jump in with IFA. So I really did that. And once I got here, I tried starting to acclimate asap, but that was hard with the pandemic <laugh>.
Patricija (04:43):
Speaking of IFA, that's where Henry and I met and we did our bachelor's degree together, which was a bachelor in fashion marketing. How was your experience at IFA in general?
Henry (04:56):
I think my experience was definitely mixed. Of course with the pandemic it was not easy collaborating with an international group of peers across Microsoft teams. But I do really admire the course repertoire that they gave us, which included real brand extensions and projects and case studies that actually are applicable to the industry we were branching out into and the future of the industry. So I really love that because it's something that can concretely translate into my professional future.
Patricija (05:25):
And as we know, IFA Paris really puts their focus on sustainability and the future of fashion. Do you think that was well represented in our studies?
Henry (05:37):
I think we did. I remember having a course and it was very, very dense and it was a huge eye-opener, but I definitely think going forward there should be more representation because this is the future. We cannot continue with this pumping out endless collections over and over without looking back and once get to the shop floor, that's the last time you see it. So I think going forward it needs to be emphasized a lot more.
Patricija (06:02):
IFA Paris is also a very diverse and international environment. And do you think studying, especially studying fashion in such an environment is important?
Henry (06:12):
A hundred percent because this is the industry that we're going out into. You're going out into the world fashion, you meet people from people all walks of life, and being able to collaborate and bring together your different backgrounds, different values, your different perspectives to create something beautiful, something progressive that you can put out to the fashion industry is that's key.
Patricija (06:32):
And I think during our studies we had a lot of group projects, which I think is also a very important thing when you want to go into fashion as fashion is such a diverse and international playground. So I think that IFA being so diverse and international is definitely a huge plus for people who want to go into fashion.
Henry (06:53):
For sure. It really teaches you that approach of a situation when you're meeting someone halfway with completely different perspectives. And you might disagree at first. You have to sit back and say, okay, this person was shaped by these set of values, so they're coming to meet me here and how do I approach that in the right way and how do we blend this together? And that's something that you need and in any industry.
Patricija (07:14):
So at the end of our studies at IFA, we had to do an internship. Can you please tell me more about your experience, what the process of recruitment was like? How was it looking for a fashion internship in Paris where it's such a sort of saturated fashion student market. And where you ended up doing your internship?
Henry (07:35):
So definitely I would say the recruitment process in seeking out these internships is not something that's easy here, especially because these luxury museums have the tendency to look for certain schools, a certain level, certain criteria to check the box, even though that's not at all indicative of who you are and your abilities. So that was a bit hard. I really had to network and reach out. But I did end up getting an internship at fashion's first luxury reseller, ReSee, it's based in Paris, just approaching their 10th anniversary. And that was a huge eye-opening experience for me in terms of secondhand fashion.
Patricija (08:15):
And did you know about ReSee prior to joining the company or did you discover the company while applying for the internships?
Henry (08:23):
I had read about it in various fashion publications throughout my time living here, but I had never really looked into it. But then once I did, I was like, oh my God, this is amazing. This is iconic moments in fashion, this is curation, this reinstilling a complete value and marketing this the exact right way. And that's something that's like essential because with the fashion industry becoming so saturated, people crave niche, they crave iconic moments, they crave people in fashion, so they're all flocking to more niche. So this is the destination.
Patricija (08:59):
And how was the recruitment process for you from sort of submitting the CV for the job application and then what were the next steps?
Henry (09:08):
It was pretty quick. I did have an interview and constant emailing, and then I had two rounds of interviews and then after that it was set.
Patricija (09:18):
And how long have you been in the company now?
Henry (09:20):
I've been in the company for one year.
Patricija (09:22):
One year? So after all this time at the company, can you please tell us more about ReSee, what the company does, why it was founded? What separates it from other luxury resellers?
Henry (09:34):
So ReSee was founded 10 years ago by two fashion veterans Sophia Bernard and Sabrina Marshall, who have experienced extensive experience at Vogue and Self-Service magazine. And they had both loved sourcing these vintage pieces and fashion's most iconic moments. And they said, you know what, the secondhand market is exploding now this is something that's beginning, so what we need to do is we need to capitalize on this, and if we make something super curated, that's just a complete destination for fashion fanatics. So that's what they did. And basically now we sourced pieces internationally from seventies, super rare, pieces from the nineties. And especially having this sense of curation, that is really what distinguishes us from our competitors because it comes through our flow, which is completely fashion forward, it's super curated, and then it's all spun and put on our website in a way that it's attractive to fashion phonetics.
Patricija (10:37):
So curation is really important for ReSee. So how do you guys choose which pieces to take on and what products belong to ReSee?
Henry (10:46):
So I think we definitely defined our style. If I'm thinking of the ReSee girl in my head, I have a very clear image. ReSee woman I should say. And being able to define that and capitalize on certain periods within a brand, not necessarily just a brand for a brand being a brand, but capitalize in a certain period with a certain creative director and a distinct style, that's where the value is. So we do choose these certain brands and curate them because we know what's attractive to our audience. We know what we think is iconic in fashion, and basically setting that tone is from the base, what attracted people to us.
Patricija (11:26):
And how do you source these pieces for ReSee?
Henry (11:29):
Pieces are sourced internationally through a various method of ways, A lot of consignment, of course, that's very important because we go into the best closets, the greatness of ReSee. And then of course, being in Paris, I know ReSee seeks out their own pieces through the amazing auction houses, which you find these treasures, you know, wouldn't find this anywhere else. And then of course some vintage dealers.
Patricija (11:53):
And once you get these pieces, how do you authenticate the pieces?
Henry (11:59):
Yes, so authentication is definitely something that's essential, especially in secondhand luxury and being in Paris, you have access to these auction houses and trained professionals with the sofa that you can't find anywhere else. So we do definitely work with a diverse group of members to ensure all the pieces are valid. And I've noticed this myself and been trained on this, you come to see whether it's a tag, whether it's an interior lining, the back of a button, a silhouette, you just know.
Patricija (12:31):
So there is sort of a professional who can authenticate the pieces and knows them through? and through?
Henry (12:37):
Yes, always.
Patricija (12:38):
And what is your position in the company? What do you do daily at ReSee?
Henry (12:43):
So I'm our head copywriter, so I create all of our product pages and do all of our product research for what we see when we blast products three times a week on the website. And so taking all that into account, it goes through our merchandising team first and then is shot with the photographer on the model. They do editorials and then it comes to me and then all of it have to be very organized because we do blast this stuff on the website. I create the whole page, do all of our research. Is this a runway? Is this couture? Was this in an ad campaign from, could be in the eighties? I see how this fits into our curation. If it's something we find from iconic collectors, super rare, that needs to be emphasized because that's setting us apart and distinguishing who we are because we are essentially a brand. And so that's what I do. And then of course we do, because it is a very passionate group of individuals at ReSee, it's very, very fashion forward. We do have a newsletter, so what we do, it could be, okay, our Wednesday blasted products is we're going to have a newsletter that's themed on early two thousands. You have Galliano, you have early 2000, Chanel, you know, we have Prada. So we do curate like that as well.
Patricija (14:00):
Okay. And what is your opinion on the resale culture in terms of, do you think resale is sustainable in long term? Do you think that it could become oversaturated and doing the opposite of what it's supposed to do?
Henry (14:18):
Well, I think resale is definitely the best alternative at the moment because when you think about it, there are some renting services which I actually know are not as beneficial towards the environment because you're constantly paying for the transportation of these products, you're paying for the dry cleaning all the time. So resale is definitely the best method that we have at the moment. But I think it's important to have quality over quantity, and that's something that I've definitely noticed working at ReSee. There's kind of that approach. And when you do do things, you must definitely do it in a tasteful manner and be super curated. It's like you go to ReSee for this, people are going to flock to us for that because they're seeing all the saturation in the market. Where do I go? Especially that's going to happen secondhand as it grows bigger and bigger and bigger, more resellers having these conglomerate presence within, say for example, Vestiaire, that can definitely change the game. And then there's all these initiatives that might lose sight of the initial values and core. So to stay super curated, to always be clear about who you are, I think that is, that's the future of secondhand.
Patricija (15:29):
So would you say thus sort of emphasis on curation and quality is what sets ReSee apart from other resellers?
Henry (15:38):
Yes, a hundred percent. A hundred percent. Because I've noticed at ReSee, what we are, it's a full on service. Everything comes through us. It is all looked at, goes through a process of intense international fashion fanatics, and that is put on the website in an extremely tasteful way that can best reinstill value in the product.
Patricija (16:00):
As someone who has had such a positive experience after finishing their internship and getting a full-time position at a company, what is your advice for young professionals and young fashion students who want to start their careers in fashion?
Henry (16:15):
I would say one, know your strengths and your weaknesses, because think about yourself as a brand. You wanna know your strengths, so that you know exactly how to best advertise yourself. And even if someone doesn't know what they're looking for, you wanna make them want you, so they're like, oh my god, didn't even know I needed that. So definitely always convey your strengths. And then second, do your homework, do your research. You want to know exactly the room that you're walking into, you want to know the temperature of the room, recommendations for a company you might be going into, how you can enhance them.
Patricija (16:48):
Yeah, I agree. And I think there's another very important aspect to this, it is connections, especially in the fashion industry. Connections are very important.
Henry (16:57):
I mean, connections are important and I think there's, there's this huge element of networking, but I do understand that, of course, it is going to come as you work in the industry, but starting out as a student, branching out into the industry first, you have networking that you can network, but it's like you don't have solid connections. So that's tying back to what I said about knowing your strengths, knowing your weaknesses, doing your homework because that's how you get your foot in the door.
Patricija (17:22):
Yeah, I definitely agree with that. So now that you have started your professional career in fashion after graduating from a fashion school, which is IFA, do you think that a formal education in fashion is necessary to work in fashion? Or do you think it's just sort of an add-on to your knowledge and to your CV?
Henry (17:43):
Well, I wanna say my gut wants to say no, formal education isn't necessary. If you hustle, you work hard. But that's the American in me. But honestly, it really does depend where you are coming from. From my background, if you hustle, you get the right connections, you prove yourself, you're hungry for every single opportunity that comes your way, even if it's not something that's flattering you, then you can make it. But I've noticed along with European culture, specifically the industry in Paris, a lot of times these fancy degrees are required and if you wanna get directly to a luxury maison, then you have to have these names on your CV. Not saying that that means anything, because a lot of people spend years in a classroom, and then they still can't produce in a professional environment. But that's one of the reasons why I pursued a startup.
Patricija (18:37):
To finish off this conversation on a sort of lighter and more fun note, we're going to do a quick fire round questions where you have to answer the question on the spot. So, Paris or New York?
Henry (18:51):
New York.
Patricija (18:53):
Your first luxury fashion purchase?
Henry (18:57):
Pashmina scull motif scarf from Alexander McQueen.
Patricija (19:00):
Who are your style icons?
Henry (19:03):
Rihanna and Hedi Slimane.
Patricija (19:05):
If you could have dinner with one fashion designer or a fashion personality, living or dead, who would you choose?
Henry (19:13):
André Leon Talley
Patricija (19:15):
Parisian style or New York style?
Henry (19:17):
Parisian.
Patricija (19:18):
Your go-to spot in Paris that everyone should visit?
Henry (19:21):
Odéon.
Patricija (19:23):
Your go-to spot in New York that everyone should visit?
Henry (19:26):
Union Square.
Patricija (19:28):
A fashion trend that you hate.
Henry (19:31):
Y2k.
Patricija (19:33):
What's a piece of advice you want our listeners to remember?
Henry (19:37):
Always be yourself and put that at the forefront of everything you do because no one is you.
Patricija (19:43):
Thank you. Thank you for joining me on the podcast today and for having this conversation with me. Thank you. I think this will be a great insight for maybe future fashion professionals or people looking forward to coming to IFA. So thank you for being here today.
Henry (19:59):
A hundred percent. Thank you for having me.
Patricija (20:01):
And for maybe anyone who wants to find you on social media or connect with you, how can we find you?
Henry (20:06):
So I am on LinkedIn Henry Louis Stern. I'm also on Instagram henrilouiss, so H E N R I L O U I S S.
Patricija (20:16):
Thank you. Thank you so much.
Henry (20:18):
Thank you.
Patricija (20:20):
Once again, I'd like to say a huge thank you to Henry for joining me on the podcast today and having this conversation with me. I think his story and his experience will be very valuable and insightful to any young professional in fashion and in Paris. If you'd like to hear more from IFA sustainability series, tune in next week on January 19th for a brand new episode.
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