Want to Work at LVMH or Kering? 3 Skills Luxury Fashion Brands Are Actually Hiring For
- Ekaterina
- Mar 26
- 4 min read
Dreaming of a career at Gucci, Louis Vuitton, or Prada? Landing a job at top luxury fashion brands isn't just about your design skills or marketing degree. In today's competitive landscape, these prestigious companies are looking for candidates with specific abilities that set them apart from the thousands of fashion graduates entering the market each year.
Decades of industry evolution and current job listings from major luxury fashion brands reveal three critical skills that could make the difference between your resume landing in the "interview" pile versus the "maybe next time" folder.
1. Supply Chain Mastery (Yes, It's Actually Exciting)
When you think luxury fashion, you probably imagine runway shows and glamorous campaigns—not spreadsheets tracking fabric shipments from across the globe. But guess what? The professionals who understand supply chain management have always been important but are now more crucial than ever at luxury houses.
Why luxury brands are desperate for this skill: The pandemic exposed major vulnerabilities in fashion supply chains, and sustainability concerns have only intensified the pressure. For instance, Burberry has been actively working to enhance its supply chain transparency and sustainability practices. They’ve implemented programs to educate and engage their suppliers, aiming to reduce environmental impacts and improve operational efficiency. (Read more about this here)
What hiring managers are looking for:
Understanding of how supply chain decisions impact product quality and brand image
Ability to navigate international sourcing relationships
Knowledge of how production timelines affect marketing and sales strategies
Creative problem-solving when shipments are delayed or materials become unavailable
How to develop supply chain skills:
Take specialised courses in fashion supply chain management
Follow industry news about materials sourcing and manufacturing
Build and manage your own supply chain in Sim de la Mode's brand simulation experience, where you'll make real-time decisions about suppliers, materials, and production timelines
2. Cross-Functional Leadership (Even at Junior Levels)
Gone are the days when fashion professionals worked in rigid silos. Today's luxury fashion brands need team members who can collaborate across departments and understand how their work impacts the bigger picture.
Why it matters for your career: Even at entry and mid-level positions, the ability to understand and speak the language of other departments makes you incredibly valuable. When the design team understands marketing constraints, or the merchandising team appreciates production challenges, magic happens.
What this looks like in practice:
Marketing professionals who understand design terminology and processes
Designers who can communicate effectively with the finance department
Retail staff who grasp supply chain challenges
Digital teams who collaborate seamlessly with traditional merchandising
How to build this skill:
Seek internships or projects that expose you to multiple departments
Develop relationships with professionals across different fashion functions
Experience the entire brand ecosystem in Sim de la Mode, where you'll make decisions that connect design, production, marketing, and sales
3. Data-Driven Adaptability (The New Fashion Superpower)
The fashion world moves fast, but luxury fashion brands are particularly focused on professionals who can not only adapt to change but anticipate it using data and market intelligence.
Why it's now essential: The most prestigious fashion houses have survived for decades (sometimes centuries) by evolving with the times. Today's evolution is digital and data-driven, and they need team members who can help them navigate this new landscape while preserving brand heritage.
How this shows up in your work:
Using customer data to inform design and merchandising decisions
Tracking market trends with analytical tools rather than just intuition
Adjusting strategies quickly when metrics show something isn't working
Making recommendations backed by numbers, not just aesthetic preferences
How to develop this skill set:
Build your data literacy through online courses in analytics
Practice interpreting fashion market reports and trend forecasts
Make data-backed decisions in Sim de la Mode, where you'll access virtual market insights and customer analytics to guide your brand strategy
Simulation: Your Secret Weapon for Landing Luxury Jobs
How do you develop these sophisticated skills when you're still early in your career? This is where Sim de la Mode gives you a serious competitive advantage.
Our fashion brand simulation puts you in control of your own virtual fashion label, allowing you to develop and practice these exact skills that luxury fashion brands are seeking—without needing years of experience or connections.
When interviewers at top fashion houses ask about supply chains, cross-departmental collaboration, or data-driven strategies, you won't just understand the terminology—you'll actually have meaningful insights to share from your hands-on experience running a virtual brand. That level of understanding is what separates standout candidates from the rest of the applicant pool.
Start Your Luxury Fashion Career Journey
Ready to develop the skills that will open doors at the world's most prestigious fashion houses? Sim de la Mode is currently in TestFlight beta for iPhone users. Join aspiring luxury fashion leaders in Sim de la Mode and build your career edge today.
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Stay tuned for our next article on the digital-age fashion skills that traditional education hasn't caught up with yet!
Notes:
Both Claude and Chat GPT helped write this article but it was edited by a human.
This article contains a link to Burberry for informational purposes only. We are not affiliated with or promoting the brand.
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