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22 Mar

Inside Dior’s Heritage-driven Beauty Growth Strategy

For Sarah Curtis Henry, chief business officer of Parfums Christian Dior, making a profession path to guide up to now has been about each depth in breadth.

“I began in marketing, and I’ve had a balance of various brands at different stages,” Curtis Henry said. “I’ve worked across almost every category in beauty, I’ve had domestic and global roles, and I’ve gone from the brand side, to operations and, now, business roles. It’s made me more practical, it’s allowed me to bridge functions, markets and cultures and to think in a way more holistic and strategic way.”

At Dior, that strategic mind-set includes combining the brand’s wealthy history with the high-tech, high-touch experience today’s luxury consumers expect. “I even have been laser-focused on the hustle and labor of really driving results, and a part of that’s trying to seek out modern ways and breaking latest ground,” she said. “I’m really willing to step outside of my comfort zone. In relation to taking up projects or roles or taking up challenges, I like to be uncomfortable, and I thrive under pressure.”

Curtis Henry noted that the brand’s storied legacy has a “deep reference to today’s luxury consumer,” but maintaining that connection also requires near-constant attention. “We’re strengthening our brand across every touchpoint, from the brand side to retail, from our direct site to our wholesalers. We’re focused on strengthening our brand equity, and the desirability and relevance of our brand, and we’re doing this through a multiplatform digital strategy. On the core of that’s storytelling, driving awareness and conversion through that omnichannel growth, all of that driving an excellent deeper connection to our strong couture heritage,” she said.

Staying on top of industry trends is one other a part of Curtis Henry’s approach. As for where beauty’s headed? “Beauty will proceed to surprise us, whether it’s latest brands, emerging categories, emerging and disruptive ways to bringing brands to life on digital,” she said, “but we now have lots more work to do relating to reflecting the worldwide diversity of our consumers and the voices inside our industry. Numerous progress has been made, but we now have lots further to go. Unlocking this from the retail arena, to the creative arena to the boardroom, will fuel more disruptive innovation and stronger relevance for brands, and positively speed up growth globally.”

Curtis Henry credited several industry players for her own rise, including Charlotte Holman Ros, president of Dior North America; Holman Ros’ predecessor Terry Darland; Vicky Tsai, founding father of Tatcha, and Jean-Marc Plisson, chief executive officer of Kosas. She’s also hoping to pay it forward.

“We now have a corporation at LVMH, it’s called EllesVMH, and it’s a program that promotes gender equity by encouraging the skilled development of girls in any respect positions,” she said. “We now have this amazing pool of talent, so providing growth opportunities for ambitious women is important for us driving growth, and to face the challenges of today’s luxury consumer.”

FOR MORE FROM WWD.COM, SEE:

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Christian Serratos Named Dior Beauty Ambassador

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