While most people struggle with rent, an industry built on $50,000 handbags generates more than $300 billion annually. Behind every $300 billion luxury machine, someone ensures the math works on human desire. One of those people is Olivia Le Bris, a new-generation financial planning and analysis manager whose career spans some of fashion's most iconic luxury houses. In this conversation, she sheds light on how finance fuels high-end fashion, the strategies behind navigating uncertainty, and how her journey from workshops to boardrooms defines her leadership.
How Did Your Career in Finance Begin at Chanel's Workshops?
"I actually started where few financial analysts begin—inside the workshops themselves," Le Bris says of her first role at Chanel's Manufactures de Mode. "This experience drew me into the artistry of craftsmanship."
Le Bris recalls that her earliest contributions to Chanel involved creating automated monthly budget reports using macros. This innovation streamlined reporting processes and boosted efficiency for the finance team. Her time immersed in couture production highlighted how financial planning in luxury demands a balance of artistic sensibility and analytical precision.
As her career evolved, she advanced from business analyst to financial controller, mastering comprehensive enterprise systems. "I implemented TM1 [financial planning and analysis software], which completely transformed the way we accessed and verified data," she explains. She also led Power BI programs that standardized data visualization across divisions. "Financial planning at this level means accounting for unpredictable creative processes while ensuring corporate accountability through triple-checked methodologies and multi-scenario forecasting," she adds.
How Do You Tackle the Complexities of Seasonal Luxury Fashion?
Predicting demand in luxury fashion requires understanding an industry that moves at both predictable seasonal rhythms and unexpected global variables. "At Chanel, I worked across Fashion, Fine Jewelry, and Watches, where forecasting meant six-month production cycles," Le Bris notes. She had to weigh factors such as fluctuations in precious metal prices and geopolitical influences on supply chains.
Her solution was to build forecasting models that integrated both seasonal patterns and disruptions. "I like to create financial cushions for employees during downturns," she explains, "so the brand remains secure and the workforce protected. At the same time, I ensure expenses are rigorously tracked to avoid year-end surprises."
What Was Your Breakthrough Moment at Alaïa?
When Le Bris joined Alaïa, her role quickly became one of cross-functional leadership. Her landmark project centered on Sales and Operations Planning. "We synchronized teams that had historically worked in silos (finance, supply chain, sales, and production) all speaking a unified language," she says.
By aligning all functions around shared sales objectives and transparent planning, she elevated Alaïa's growth trajectory. "It was about being a strategic partner, working hand-in-hand with operational teams to forecast budgets and inform smarter decisions. It shifted the company's ability to plan for expansion, product development, and resource allocation with clarity."
How Did You Approach Crisis Management During COVID-19?
The pandemic disrupted nearly every brand in luxury fashion, but Le Bris turned crisis into opportunity. "Rather than staying idle during uncertainty at Chanel, I chose to join Alaïa, which was entering a critical growth phase," she explains.
There, she took on one of fashion's most persistent challenges: inventory management. "Luxury products carry emotional and cultural weight beyond normal retail," she notes. By developing a comprehensive system to track and evaluate inventory, establish depreciation rules, and manage the product lifecycle, she eliminated Alaïa's stock issues. Her cash projection models ultimately helped increase its social capital from 5,000 euros to 75 million euros. "That growth reflected real financial stability and investor confidence," she adds.
How Does Your Academic Background Shape Your Approach to Finance?
Le Bris's educational roots are in Toulouse Business School, ranked among France's top business institutions. "I majored in corporate finance, and my time in London exposed me to international financial approaches taught by seasoned City professionals," she reflects.
Her career has expanded across several luxury houses, from Chanel to Van Cleef & Arpels under the Richemont Group. Each brought insight into different ecosystems with their own operational challenges. She also holds a board position in her father's company in France. "Serving on the board gave me a strong perspective on governance and long-term strategic planning," she shares.
What Do You Believe Is Your Lasting Impact on the Luxury Industry?
Le Bris is firm that her work goes beyond numbers. "I've always tried to protect artisans by ensuring financial systems adapt to creative processes rather than the other way around," she explains. Her methodologies, including automated reporting and forecasting scenarios, are increasingly adopted across the sector.
"I want financial models to sustain not just profitability but also social responsibility," she adds. Her ability to navigate gold price shifts, political unrest, and economic uncertainty while safeguarding jobs makes her an indispensable strategist in a volatile industry.
Her career demonstrates that modern luxury fashion is built not only on artistry but also on rigorous stewardship, requiring leaders who can marry creativity with analytical foresight.
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