Portrait alumni - Marie Lepineux Lallement, Champagne LALLEMENT MASSONNOT

Marie Lepineux Lallement, alumna of the Bachelor Sup de Luxe, who took over the family business Champagne LALLEMENT MASSONNOT tells us about her experience at Sup de Luxe and her life as an entrepreneur.

Why did you choose Sup de Luxe / EDC ?

For me, it's a passport to the world of luxury, whether it's jewellery, leather goods or ready-to-wear, the possibilities are endless! I chose Sup de Luxe because of the strong and wide network of former EDC and Sup de Luxe graduates.

What is your fondest memory of your training ?

I was able to do my internship in Marketing at Cartier in jewellery in London. I found myself in the office where General de Gaulle had made his appeal to the resistance on the BBC on 18th June 1940, memorable! I carried out a market study on the engagement ring segment as a mystery shopper: I courageously and rightly pushed the doors of the world's biggest jewellery houses on New Bond Street where the wealthiest customers (princes, princesses and financial magnates) go shopping.

Thanks to Dorothée Henrio, Margot Sauvan and Nathalie Mallet.

How have the skills you have acquired been useful for your professional career ?

Today we tend to believe that everything is innate in a person and that anyone can become an Instagram star, create a successful French start up without any particular diploma... These cases are so few in number, but they make a lot of noise (because it's unheard of). In order to succeed, we also need to acquire knowledge: Sup de Luxe develops our intrinsic qualities in coherence with a well-defined framework. I have learned to have a greater finesse of mind and a sharper eye for art and creations of all kinds. With this acquired baggage, I have become more confident in expressing my thoughts and opinions on the products of the Houses in which I have worked (Hermès and Cartier).

Tell us about your career and its evolution from school leaving to today ?

After Cartier, I was selected to be International Junior Product Manager for Hermès (core business: Perfumes) for an 8-month internship. I was in Operational Marketing and was mainly in charge of the consistency and distribution of POS in all points of sale in Asia, the Americas and Travel Retail (airports). The school's open-mindedness allowed me to do internships in Luxury Marketing and to follow a major in Finance! So yes, it's true I was a bit behind the other students in my class in 4th year who had done internships in banking and accounting, but I quickly made up for this with library sessions at weekends to take the double degree in Financial Instrument Management at the University of Cergy Pontoise. This past "Luxury" experience made me want to be part of a certain "Elite" and so I set myself the goal of joining the world's largest Audit and Consulting firm: Deloitte.

Thanks to Annie Bellier Delienne, Ambroise Depouilly, Bozena Pudlo and Alexis Aubry.

After Deloitte and 7 years spent in Finance, I have finally embarked on an entrepreneurial career. I always had this desire but I didn't feel able to do without the assurance of a fixed salary. But I also knew that the longer I waited, the more I climbed up the pyramid of CAC40 companies and that I would never take the step, instinctively favouring security. We only have one life (until proven otherwise!) so at the age of 32 I took over the family business Champagne LALLEMENT MASSONNOT. 

Can you introduce us to the LALLEMENT MASSONNOT company ?

The brand has been in existence since 1982 and we have 5 hectares under cultivation. We are proud to sell 2/3 of our clear and 1er Cru wines to : Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Moët et Chandon, Bollinger and Taittinger. The last 1/3 remains the biggest part of the work for me: the sale of our 5 1er Cru vintages (about 15,000 bottles per year/ in non covid weather!), for the moment mainly in BtoC but I intend to move on to BtoB.

What can we wish you for the rest of your career ? 

To find partners and importers of French and world wines, which would allow me to grow and sell more bottles under our Brand. I hope one day that I will be able to travel thanks to my Wine and do international trade shows. I would also like to be able to make my team grow and for my company to become an integral part of the French economy by providing employment in the Champagne region.

Tell us your vision of luxury in one sentence.

Luxury is a philosophy that leads us to "Beauty" and makes our senses vibrate, thus providing a deep emotion.