Guerlain CEO Gabrielle Saint-Genis about challenges for women in management positions and AI in the beauty industry

Guerlain opened one of the largest boutiques in the country on around 50 square meters in Berlin's KaDeWe. From high-quality Skincare to noble scents to luxurious make-up-beauty lovers can be found here everything your heart desires. The over 200-year history of Guerlain meets the 118-year-old traditional house at the opening in the German capital-a special occasion that Guerlain CEO Gabrielle Saint-Genis cannot miss. From Paris, the company boss goes directly to the counter opening to Berlin. Between Ribbon Cutting and opening speech, she takes time for an exclusive Elle interview. In an interview, Gabrielle Saint-Genis reveals who will dominate Beauty trend in 2025, what challenges women have to cope with in management positions and what advice they give young women for their career. She also talks about how artificial intelligence will revolutionize the beauty industry.

Gabrielle Saint-Genis:I think every French woman has a connection to Guerlain, because it is a brand with a 200-year history that is very important to people in France. In my personal case, this connection goes far back - to my grandfather. He helped a blind man whose wife had a large perfume business in the province. As a thank you for his support, she gave him fragrances every year. So I came into contact with Guerlain for the first time. I was still very young at the time, maybe eleven years old when I started wearing "L'Aure Bleue" thanks to this woman.

G.S.:There is a advice that I always give the young generation of women on the way - and don't ask me why, but there is a big difference. Women, especially at the beginning or in the middle of their career, often have the feeling that they have to master all aspects of a new job perfectly before they can even apply for it. There is this idea that we are perfectly prepared, check everything and have to anticipate every detail in advance. Men, on the other hand, often have the courage to accept a new position, even if they obviously do not meet all the requirements from the start - and that is exactly the decisive difference, even if I know that we should be careful not to stereotype. I have observed this pattern in many countries and in many women. That is why I often talk to women about it: If you follow a new challenge, be open to the unexpected. Growth means to get involved in the unknown. Trust yourself, trust your intuition. It is not always about learning everything beforehand - the learning curve takes place in the job itself and should also take place there.

G.S.: I believe that artificial intelligence will fundamentally change our experiences with beauty. It will make it possibleTo discover make-up and skin care in a whole new way-to feel products instead of just looking at them. We are facing a big revolution, and at Guerlain we take on this development with enthusiasm.

G.S.:In 2025 we are working on a concept that we call olfactory landscapes. It offers the possibility to make a fragrance visible using the words of our perfumer Delphine and create a landscape with AI based on your description. This creates a unique experience in which you can discover the fragrance through a beautiful landscape - and at the same time smell. This is a fantastic experience and a new, playful way to discover fragrances.

G.S.:A very interesting trend is, for example, completely onto avoid the eyes. How does our idea of ​​beauty change when we no longer put on all the parts of the face? I think that will surprise many, but that is exactly what makes this trend so exciting.