Rae Ren’s journey, from IESA arts&culture to Louis Vuitton, illustrates the value of international training and intercultural sensitivity in the highly competitive luxury fashion sector.
Now a fashion stylist at Louis Vuitton, Rae Ren shares her experience and looks back at how her studies in France shaped her career. Her journey began with a year of French language upgrading at IESA arts&culture, before continuing at LISAA Mode, where she studied fashion marketing and trade.
Discovering a Passion for Fashion
Drawn to creation and design, Rae chose IESA to perfect her French while acquiring a solid foundation in art history and drawing. "I have always been passionate about drawing and creating since my teenage years," she confides.
After a year at IESA, she continued her path at LISAA, specializing in fashion marketing and trade, preparing her to enter the world of luxury.
A Dream Job at Louis Vuitton
A graduate of LISAA, Rae returned to China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her profile quickly caught Louis Vuitton’s attention: she had a first online interview, followed by an in-person meeting with the store director. Although she first applied for a client advisor position, her knowledge of French fashion and her luxury-focused training allowed her to land a fashion stylist position.
"During the interview, they saw that I had studied fashion and luxury in France and offered me a fashion stylist position instead," Rae recalls. She stresses how competitive the job market is in China, especially in the luxury sector, where her training in France gave her a decisive edge.
The Advantage of Studying in France
Studying in France allowed Rae to develop a unique understanding of French luxury culture, which she now puts to use every day. She often plays the role of cultural mediator, explaining to her Chinese colleagues the historical significance of certain iconic pieces, such as the Louis Vuitton "Petite Malle" bag. A valuable expertise in her job.
Rae considers her time at IESA a key step in her journey, which prepared her to join LISAA afterward. The preparatory program let her not only improve her French but also discover the French approach to education, centered on creativity and personal expression. "It gave me a solid foundation to strengthen my language skills and understand the French artistic and cultural landscape," she says.
Key Skills and Cultural Sensitivity
The art history courses and museum visits at IESA deeply nourished Rae’s understanding of European arts and culture. This knowledge proves particularly valuable in her current duties, where she is regularly called on to talk about French culture. "We sell books on French history and the French art of living, and I am here to pass this culture on to others. It is not only about fashion. It is about how people live, their choices, their aesthetics, their traditions," she explains.
"Today, at Louis Vuitton, when I look at the smallest details of a garment, I understand how they were designed," she adds. "If I hadn’t studied in France, I wouldn’t know how to create this level of detail, or how to construct a garment with such precision."
A Leadership Role at Louis Vuitton
As head of stylists at the Louis Vuitton boutique, Rae leads a team dedicated to VIP clients, to whom she offers personalized advice for special events. Her team is currently working on a major project: dressing clients for the Shanghai Formula 1 Grand Prix. She is also responsible for analyzing new collections and organizing training for client advisors.
Among her most notable successes, Rae generated more than one million euros in orders in a single day for the autumn-winter 2025 men’s collection — a performance that reflects her keen sense of customer relations and her ability to showcase products, even remotely, through photos and videos. Rae also observes strong differences between professional cultures in France and China. In France, she notes, work-life balance is more valued, whereas in China, total commitment to work is often the norm. Her experience in France profoundly changed her outlook: she understood that work could also be a path to personal fulfillment, a way to pursue her passions and fulfill her dreams.
Advice for Future Students
Rae strongly recommends IESA’s preparatory program to Chinese students, emphasizing the richness of the memories and experiences lived in France. She also recommends LISAA, for the kindness of its teachers, its stimulating environment, and the importance placed on creativity.
To students who have just arrived in Paris, Rae advises attending all classes, practicing French with native speakers, and preparing a strong portfolio that reflects a genuine sensitivity to French aesthetics. It is essential.
Future Goals and Sources of Inspiration
Looking ahead, Rae aspires to become a regional director and is considering returning to France to deepen her training in the luxury field. She draws her inspiration from the career of Jean-Paul Gaultier, whose creativity and influence on major fashion names fascinate her.
She also remains attentive to the current challenges of the luxury industry, marked by changing consumption habits and increased competition. She observes that brands are increasingly adapting to the expectations of audiences from diverse cultures. As the Chinese market becomes a major strategic focus for luxury, Rae’s ideas and experience are growing in value.
Rae Ren’s journey fully embodies the transformative power of international education and cultural immersion. Her years at IESA and LISAA allowed her not only to acquire the skills needed to thrive in the demanding world of luxury fashion, but also to nurture a deep passion for French culture — which she now works to share with commitment and enthusiasm.