Women@Dior: A Woman’s Journey in the World of Luxury Fashion and Marketing, and How Women Should Advocate for Themselves
Maison Christian Dior truly stands by the words of Monsieur Dior- ‘whatever you do, do it with passion’-this is exactly what I live by too!.” Today’s woman dreamer, Ananya Rajpoot, shares her journey in the exciting world luxury fashion and marketing, living and working in Paris, the world’s fashion hub. An Indo-French scholar. Ananya has been associated with luxury brands such as Guerlain, Dior, Coty , and more. She shares her tips to all women on self-advocacy, “being your own cheerleader”, thoughts on upcoming trends in the luxury industry, and her passion for women representation and empowerment.
1) Tell us your story. What got you interested in the world of fashion and luxury branding? What is it like living and working in Paris?
I come from a scientific background- being a classic nerd all my life, my switch to the fashion & beauty field was an unconventional twist. I never liked how people viewed this industry, as frivolous & vain. For me, this domain is truly empowering & gives people true power of representation and being themselves, without judgement. I came to France study business in luxury marketing, & it’s been an exciting journey so far- working in fields of media & influencer marketing, communication, branding etc.
2) You are currently in the Women@Dior program. What has that experience been like? What is your favourite part of the Dior program and how is it inspiring you to empower women? What is something about the Dior brand that speaks to you personally?
Women@Dior has shown me a world, I only admired from the outside. I’ve met, learnt from some incredible women, from all walks of life- about all things leadership, empowerment, autonomy & sustainability. These are all topics close to my heart, which I also advocate for in my personal capacity. Maison Christian Dior truly stands by the words of Monsieur Dior- ‘whatever you do, do it with passion’-this is exactly what I live by too!
I had an incredible time meeting the world famous football talent, Ada & chatted with her about the importance of women standing up for themselves- I believe the WWW community would enjoy the conversation & truly feel empowered.
3) You are a strong believer in being your own self-advocate, "being your own cheerleader". You regularly work with job seekers to help them, tell us more about your initiatives, and what inspired you to do it? How do you seek to help women building their careers advocate for them?
Often, people feel hesitant/shy, to talk about themselves. My initiative aims at helping people realise AND convey their true potential, value without feeling ashamed or boastful.
If you’ve done something, own it up proudly- take space & be heard!
My initiatives, my time is especially dedicated towards women- women of colour, women from developing nations- to help them set their goals, show them the path of achieving those goals from my own, personal experiences & given them a safe space to talk about all things they truly wish to achieve professionally, without feeling judged or being labelled ‘too ambitious’
4) With the pandemic, the fashion and luxury industry is changing. What are some trends you see happening in the next year? Have you seen anything interesting that luxury brands are doing for the holidays?
The year 2020 has truly been a testing year for these industries- with consumer becoming ever more aware & equipped with knowledge & information- the industry has to adapt itself to be transparent & inclusive.
In the context of the pandemic, the need to ‘go digital’ is pressing & necessary- we have seen businesses unable to adapt to this change, struggling or unfortunately, failing. However, the recovery is definitely robust & the industry is in full swing to put its best foot forward for the holiday season- with adapted communications, improved services, exciting digital campaigns etc.
5) Finally, as a #Dreamcatchers platform, we have to ask, what is your next big dream?
My next big dream is to bring a positive difference to the lives of many more young girls, women- who dare to dream big but get crushed by the judgments & labels of the society.
If you’re a young girl, with a big dream but don’t have a support system- I want to be there for you, to help you realise your dreams by giving you concrete strategies to follow & implement.
I also wish to constantly update, educate & inform myself about my field of work & be able to share my knowledge & experiences with everyone who could benefit from it!
Bio: Ananya is a Marketing & Branding strategist, specialising in field of luxury fashion & beauty. She is a gold medallist from NIFT, Delhi & an Indo-French scholar. Ananya has been associated with luxury brands such as Guerlain, Dior, Coty etc. She is also passionate about working towards representation of women, especially women of colour, in these business fields. A regular guest speaker on various marketing & leadership platforms, Ananya aims at bringing change as a Diversity & Inclusivity advocate.