By Didier Gottardini
Gathered on July 2, 2026 at the Research Centergraduates, students and partners of the school Luxury Superior celebrated a particularly dynamic year at the Summer Party 2026 organized by thealumni of Sup de Luxe. More than a summer event, this evening highlighted the strengths of an institute which, for more than thirty-five years, has combined training, professional expertise, international openness and the power of its network.
An evening to connect the generations
Some events speak volumes about an institution, better than any long speech. Summer Party 2026 This event brought together several generations of graduates in the elegant atmosphere of the Maison de la Recherche. Reunions, new connections, and professional exchanges punctuated an evening during which some students were also invited to discover the network and establish their first contacts with those who are now making the school shine in the various luxury professions.
This intergenerational dimension encapsulates the philosophy of Sup de Luxe. Education doesn't stop at academic instruction; it's built through interaction with luxury brands, professionals, alumni, and the concrete realities of the market. The network thus becomes a natural extension of the curriculum, but also a space for knowledge transfer where experiences gained throughout careers can benefit new cohorts.
Summer Party 2026 @Arnaud_MALLEZ
A school founded by luxury professionals
The story of Sup de Luxe began in 1990, at the initiative of...Alain-Dominique Perrin and Michel Guten, then respectively president and chief executive of Cartier InternationalCreated under the name ofHigher Institute of Luxury MarketingFrom the outset, the institution has claimed a unique positioning: training professionals by professionals. The alumni association was created in 1991, after the graduation of the first class, before the Institute joined EDC Paris Business School in 1996.
This historical close relationship with the luxury houses continues to shape its identity. Sup de Luxe presents itself today as the Cartier Chair and remains closely connected to the needs of companies in the sector. The Institute organizes conferences, meetings with leading figures, visits to companies, and practical exercises designed to expose students to real-world challenges. Its objective remains to train future managers and leaders capable of thriving in an industry where heritage, creativity, business strategy, and innovation must constantly interact.
Sup de Luxe is affiliated with EDC Paris Business School, a private higher education institution recognized by the State and a member of the Conference of Grandes Écoles. This organization allows the Institute to combine its sectoral specialization with a broader environment dedicated to management, entrepreneurship and international development.
Training programs tailored to new professions
The educational offerings now extend from Bachelor's degrees to MBAs and MScs, while also incorporating continuing education programs, Executive Certificates, and short courses. Luxury management and marketing, fashion, gastronomy, wines and spirits, digital strategy, and international development comprise a portfolio designed to meet the growing diversity of careers.
Le Luxury Bachelor's Degree It offers a three-year course, taught in French or English, with the possibility of a work-study program in the third year. MBA Luxury Brand Marketing & International ManagementThe flagship program, created in 1990 at the initiative of Cartier, combines meetings with industry leaders, case studies, company visits, and international study trips. The MSc programs, on the other hand, allow students to specialize in global brand management, fashion, or gastronomy and wine.
This capacity for evolution was further demonstrated in 2026 with the arrival of two new programs: a Bachelor's degree in international business and economics of luxury, aimed at new generations, and a Global Executive MBA in luxury leadership, designed for executives, entrepreneurs and managers wishing to accelerate their trajectory towards strategic roles.
In parallel, the Institute develops programs directly linked to contemporary transformations in the industry. The certification programs cover topics such as marketing, digital, communication, branding, business development, and creating businesses in the luxury sector. This diversification responds to the evolving profiles sought by luxury brands, which are now facing the globalization of their clientele, the rise of technology, the restructuring of distribution channels, and the need to build consistent brand experiences across all touchpoints.
A decidedly international ambition
Sup de Luxe's dynamism is also reflected in its international reach. At the 2026 Summer Party, the Institute announced that 25% of its students were international. London, New York, Shanghai, and Vietnam are among the locations associated with the development of its new programs and academic experiences.
This openness reflects the very geography of contemporary luxury. Luxury brands must combine a strong identity, often rooted in a European heritage, with very different markets, cultures, and customs. Training future professionals in the sector therefore requires providing them with an international understanding of brand strategy, customer relations, communication, and retail.
This ambition extends to research and academic output. Sup de Luxe participates in international conferences and develops industry-focused publications, aiming to foster dialogue between theoretical reflection, professional expertise, and market changes. The school has also received four Palmes d'Excellence awards in the Eduniversal 2025 ranking of business schools.
Sup de Luxe Alumni, the professional extension of the Institute
At the center of this ecosystem, theSup de Luxe Alumni Association It plays a structuring role. Created in 1991, it now supports a community made up of 35 graduating classes and more than 3,250 alumni spread across 70 countries. It does not limit itself to maintaining an emotional connection between former students: it organizes the flow of opportunities, promotes career paths, and helps maintain an active relationship between the school, graduates, and businesses.
Website alumni-supdeluxe.com It constitutes a professional platform where members can consult a directory, access a calendar, find association news, and discover career opportunities offered by partners or directly by graduates. It also includes profiles, articles, and event reports that allow users to follow the community's career paths.
In a world where mobility, recommendations, and knowledge of professional ecosystems play a crucial role, this tool offers particular value. The directory facilitates the identification of alumni based on their graduating class, career path, or location. The career sections can support job searches, professional development, or recruitment. Finally, the editorial content provides visibility to graduates who have become leaders, entrepreneurs, consultants, creators, or experts within their respective companies.
This online tool is like a living map of the talent trained by Sup de Luxe. It helps recent graduates join an already structured community, while allowing experienced professionals to stay in touch with the Institute, share their expertise, and identify new collaborations.
A network that is organizing itself internationally
The global reach of the community also relies on its international chapters. Representatives of the network are present in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, Spain, Hong Kong, Japan, Morocco, and Switzerland. Their mission is to welcome graduates considering working abroad, organize local events, and foster professional collaborations within their region.
For alumni wishing to settle in London, New York, Geneva, Tokyo, or Hong Kong, these networks can serve as an initial point of contact. They facilitate understanding a market, discovering its professional network, and integrating into a local community. Membership in Sup de Luxe is therefore no longer limited to a Parisian cohort; it extends to the major international capitals of the sector.
Graduates can also get directly involved in developing the network by joining the board, participating in a project, or proposing an initiative. The association's board, re-elected at the general meeting on February 2, 2026, is chaired by Marie Seignolle, a 2004 graduate.
The Table Book Directory, a showcase of talent
The Summer Party 2026 was the opportunity to announce the 2027 edition of theDirectory Table BookThis project aims to bring together the profiles of graduates and increase their visibility among companies, recruiters, and other network members. It is presented as a tool designed to foster professional opportunities, collaborations, and business development.
This initiative complements the digital directory available on the platform. It transforms network data into a professional and editorial tool, showcasing the diversity of career paths. It also underscores the importance for graduates to keep their profiles up-to-date in order to fully participate in the collective dynamic.
Maison Jean Rousseau, the gesture at the heart of the evening
The Summer Party also served as a reminder that luxury cannot be taught solely through strategy, communication, or management. It must also be understood through the materials, the craftsmanship, and the time involved in their creation.
La Jean Rousseau House A workshop dedicated to leatherwork was offered. Guests were able to observe certain stages of a traditional craft where manual precision gradually transforms raw material into exceptional objects. The workshop was led by Anaïs Bordier, a 2016 graduate and the company's Brand Manager.
Her presence concretely illustrated the continuity between education and knowledge transfer. A former student, now a professional in a manufacturing company, returned to share her experience with the community and new generations. This circular movement is one of the network's strengths: alumni are not only the beneficiaries of Sup de Luxe, they also contribute to its educational and professional influence.
Thinking about the luxury of tomorrow
The Institute's dynamism is also reflected in its commitment to questioning the sector's economic and environmental models. During the evening, Sup de Luxe presented the collective work Circular luxury, solutions made in FranceLed by Marta Martcheva, executive director of the Institute.
Several alumni contributed to this publication, which addresses the responses of French companies to the challenges of circularity. Repair, reuse, second life, material transformation, and the evolution of production methods are now key issues for brands. The participation of graduates in this work demonstrates that the network is not solely career-oriented: it also contributes to fostering collective reflection on the future of industry.
A partnership between Sup de Luxe Alumni and Luxe Infinity
The Summer Party 2026 also marked the launch of a media partnership between Sup de Luxe Alumni et Luxury InfinityThis collaboration aims to showcase the career paths and achievements of graduates through articles, profiles, and interviews published in the luxury and specialized press. lifestyle.
For Luxe Infinity, this partnership offers the opportunity to tell the story of the sector through the people who shape it every day: executives, brand managers, entrepreneurs, designers, communicators, retail experts, and specialists in craftsmanship. Beyond the products and brands, it is their personal and professional journeys that allow us to understand the profound evolution of the industry.
Train, connect and empower
Through its programs, its international openness, its partnerships, its research and the activity of its alumni association, Sup de Luxe displays the profile of a school in motion.
The Summer Party 2026 offered a particularly revealing synthesis of this. Around a convivial event, teaching, know-how, reflection on the future of luxury, career development and the strength of a global community came together.
The dynamism of Sup de Luxe ultimately rests on its ability to create bridges: between students and graduates, between education and business, between heritage and innovation, and between Paris and major international markets. This serves as a reminder that, in the luxury sector, skills open doors, but that connections, knowledge transfer, and a strong network often play a crucial role in shaping career paths.
Images: Sup de Luxe
