The fashion industry covers a wide panorama of trades and endless
possibilities for professional careers. To inform and inspire readers on
fashion’s career possibilities, FashionUnited asks a professional about his
work. Today we hear from Hugo Salama, Strategy & Performance Analyst at
Vestiaire Collective, an e-commerce platform for second-hand fashion
items.
Could you explain what your job is?
I joined Vestiaire in a marketing/editorial role before turning to a more
data-driven position. My current role as business performance & strategy
analyst consists of being the bridge between the data team and the business
team. Extracting data, formalizing it and making use of it are our daily
tasks, as well as reporting & planning new projects.
What is your background? And are you self-taught or a graduate?
I graduated from EDHEC [École des Hautes Etudes Commerciales] in corporate
finance. After three years in financial communication, I resumed a year of
study at IFM, the French Institute of Fashion.
What memories do you have of your job interview and how did you
prepare?
I have a strong recollection of quite a series of quite diverse
interviews with many different members of the team: open questions about my
personality but also technical ones. A lot of energy came out of these
talks.
Does your work stop when you leave the office?
I try as much as possible to focus on hobbies and other interests once
the working day is over. However, I do spend part of my time off following
fashion and business trends.
On a daily basis, what impact has the crisis linked to the pandemic had
on your work?
There are less distractions, so we are actually more focused on our
job.
What do you like and dislike about your job?
My favorite thing: juggling numbers and creating solutions with them.
What I like less: When people ask me to crunch data for them.
How do you develop and/or maintain your professional network?
I try more and more to get involved on Linkedin, to post on interesting
breaks in the fashion industry, to get in touch with “inspiring” people.
A professional project that is close to your heart and that you would
like to complete?
I would love to have my own bike wear/ lifestyle brand.
Have you always wanted to work in the fashion industry? What is your
view of this industry today?
As a teenager, I saw fashion as a real vector of identity. Over time,
fashion branding strategies attracted me enormously: I wanted to work in
the creative industries at the very least.
In ten years, what do you think your profession will look like?
The second hand will be fully integrated into the fashion sector and
Vestiaire Collective will be a benchmark player in this ecosystem.
Any advice for a young graduate who is considering your profession?
Utilize online training as much as you can.
This article was originally published on FashionUnited.FR, translated and edited to English.
