As Couture USA continues to flourish as one of the fastest growing designer resale businesses, it takes more than one set of eyes and ears to make sure all areas of the business are running at tip-top shape. Born in Paris and a graduate of the EM Lyon Business School in France, top-performing business and marketing professional Isabelle Vrillard recently joined the Couture USA team in January as our business analyst. She has since contributed her experience as a long-standing industry professional and her strong data analysis skill set to help Couture continue to grow with our client base, all while maintaining quality customer experience as our number one priority. Learn more about Vrillad's professional background, personal style, and experience so far with the team in this edition of the Couture USA Team profile series!    

How did you get your start in business consulting?

Back in Paris I was CEO of a real estate website after a career in digital marketing. I had to leave the position, but I soon realized I still wanted to work. So I began consulting with the French companies that I used to work with, providing them with a fresh look and insights from the USA on their businesses.    

How did you get connected with Couture USA?

A mutual friend introduced Catherine, the owner, and I, to each other during a dinner and we instantly recognized each other’s French accent! I had so many questions about her business that we met again and finally decided we should work together.    

What interested you in becoming apart of the Couture USA Team?

I love that we give a second life to these magnificent objects and help people treat themselves. It’s a consumer-empowering business and even kind of a green business. It's very rewarding. Also, I traded my lonely small office at home for an environment full of high-qualified enthusiastic people, surrounded by beauty, glamour and eccentricity!    

Who is your favorite designer?

I would say Hermès. I love how their modernity can still surprise us, out of tradition and simple lines. Their signature orange is timeless. I use orange too in my consulting business documents, not in tribute to them, but as my signature “from Florida” to my French customers.    

How would you describe your personal style?

Is it cliché if I say “Parisian”? You’ll never see me in yoga pants at the school bus stop, unless I am actually on the way to yoga. Whatever the situation, I’d rather be too dressed up than not enough. Casual-chic outfits that last through the day are the answer. I like solid vivid colors and if not, I try to wear at least a hint of color with accessories, jewels or shoes.    

How would you describe your typical work day?

There are no typical workdays! But my days always start with checking the data. Every day I take a look at the our website audience and transactions to see where the business is going.      

Isabelle's Top Designer Picks:

What would you say has been the primary focus of your work with Couture USA so far?

Currently, we are building a new website. It’s a several month-long process and even though it’s too early to give out the details, it’s definitely been the main project of the year. Like designers, we have to reinvent ourselves, without losing what built our reputation on: quality, affordability and excellent customer care.    

What are some of your favorite things about your position?

I’m lucky enough to work on many sides of the business: online customer experience, online sales, brand awareness, local promotion of the store, just to name a few.    

What advice would you give to anyone interested in pursuing a career in consulting or marketing?

As a consultant, you want to make sure you have an address book, the experience, and can speak up for your ideas. That’s what people hire you for: ask them questions that they don’t have the answer to, and give them your point of view. Whether they like it or not, your opinion just helps them feel more comfortable with their own decisions. As a digital marketer, I have learned two lessons. First: forget about what you personally think, the customers will tell you what works based on their feedback on things like ads and designs. The data collected by looking at the website traffic, transactions, and reviews, won’t lie. Second: keep learning! Update your knowledge as things change fast on the internet, read about the best practices, and always keep an eye on the competition: it’s only one click away.