In the dynamic and ever-evolving world of fashion, few leaders have left a mark as indelible as Cecilia Bönström, the recent ex-Creative Director of Zadig&Voltaire. With nearly two decades at the helm, Bönström transformed the brand from a niche label to a globally recognised fashion powerhouse. In this exclusive interview, she shares the philosophies and strategies that guided her through an illustrious career marked by innovation, sustainability, and a keen understanding of the fashion industry’s pulse.
Cecilia’s journey is a testament to the power of authenticity and respect in leadership. Her commitment to honest self-reflection and equitable treatment of her team has fostered a loyal and dedicated workforce. This approach, coupled with her ability to navigate the complexities of global markets and evolving consumer preferences, has positioned Zadig&Voltaire as a brand synonymous with chic, effortless style.
From her strategic pivot to a more comprehensive wardrobe offering to her pioneering use of sustainable fabrics, Cecilia’s vision has always been clear: to create unique, timeless pieces that resonate with modern women worldwide. As we delve into the challenges she faced, the innovations she spearheaded, and her thoughts on the future of fashion, we uncover the essence of what makes a true leader in this fiercely competitive industry.
After an inspirational talk to the students of the Istituto Marangoni London, The Executive Magazine sits down with Cecilia for an exclusive interview.
Can you share with us your leadership philosophy and how it has guided your strategic decisions during your tenure as Creative Director at Zadig & Voltaire?
“My leadership strategy comes back to a basic rule. Be honest, first to yourself and then to others. Because if you’re honest with yourself and that you have worked on yourself until good skills you can give back. And that comes back in treating people the same way you would like to be treated.
“So I have always respected all my working members, from the interns up. And so I succeeded in creating a faithful team that would follow my decisions anywhere.”
Under your leadership, Zadig & Voltaire evolved significantly. What were the key factors you considered when pivoting the brand’s focus from weekend wear to a more comprehensive wardrobe suited for all occasions?
“Zadig&Voltaire was in existence already for 6 years when I entered the company. And for me it was really important first to study the history of the brand and honor the past. Then I started concentrating on the roots and tried to understand which pieces really had the Zadig DNA . And taking away the rest.
“This was 17 years ago. At that time we didn’t have yet our faithful factories so my job was not just to design the collection but also choose with my instinct with who I wanted to work.
“Because the secret of this profession is that the success of a piece of clothing is not just the design but also the way in which and where it is manufactured. So even if I send the same technical file to different factories, nobody produces exactly the same piece, because it depends on the water, the air in the place they are, and the people working there. It’ ‘s really magic!
“And while doing that and seeing different talents out there I realized that I wanted to use that opportunity in showing different hand-crafts from the world and so enlargen the Zadig&Voltaire wardrobe.
“And it was also a personal dream to be able to create the perfect day to night wardrobe for active women and also that would help myself in my daily life, because I felt that was missing on the market. There was a lot of creativity out there, but not easy to find these unsophisticated but chic and cool and easy to wear pieces. And I wanted that inside a store of Z&V a woman could find everything she needed. With the Z&V stamp for the perfect balance of a timeless piece.
“So let’s say a key factor was my obsession to create a recognisable full silhouette. And also a key factor was realizing that to stay desirable in competition with other brands, it was to impose a savoir-faire with a unique and strong proposition of different fabrics.”
The fashion industry is notably volatile and competitive. Can you discuss some of the biggest challenges you faced in the market, and how you navigated them?
“Z&V was a small company when I started and we were still not on a safe ground. So the first challenges was to convince other countries and continents to like our style. How to convince in Korea for example, what is the typical Parisian left-bank silhouette to me?! And for them to embrace that nonchalant – chic attitude that seems so evident to us.
“And then a big moment was how to challenge the attention of the younger crowd, everyone was talking about the Millennials.
“Because after having higher prices, with the quality and enlarging the offer with more mature pieces, how not to loose the younger customers…
“And I remember some stressful meetings , picking our brains about this question, and suddenly the answer kind of came by itself… without trying too hard… But the fact that I had put our iconic angel wings (we hardly knew at that point how iconic that would become) on a leather bag, that had made all the young girls desire that more than anything else, and the sales numbers just got higher and higher. And we are still today gaining new customers through that handbag.”
How do you stay ahead in a sector driven by constant change and innovation? What role does technology play in your strategy? Do you see the advancement of AI a threat to the traditional roots of the fashion world?
“Until now this constant innovation was concentrated on how to manufacture even better clothes. In these last years the techniques have became so much sharper. For us, How to print on cashmere, how to create raw edged borders on a knitted sweater without it breaking, or how to create a leather that has a wrinkly effect but that doesn’t lose that with the usage of time, etc.
“It’s s been actually great to have been part of that period of huge evolution! And now how to produce with organic or re-cycled fabrics and in more environmentally-friendly techniques.
“But when it gets to AI, I feel a bit more lost because I’m afraid that we will loose this margin of human mistakes… What I mean is; that designing is CREATIVITY. And that is something so PERSONAL and it comes from your HEART… And I’m worried that AI will erase that and that suddenly anybody can produce all the same things.
“What I like now is that it always starts with a handmade drawing and then sometimes the person making the first prototype in a factory somewhere, transforms it by making slight mistakes, that sometimes transforms the piece into something even better than you had imagined… and that part of IMPERFECTION makes this job beautiful and individual.
“And to answer more precisely your question, at one point for a brand it is important to stay ahead or at least be alert about new techniques and try to catch a train to invent something. Like Azzedine Alaia with his stretch fabrics, like Golden Goose with the used effect sneakers or like Nike with theirs light Fly knit sneakers.
“But I feel Zadig has now imposed a very specific silhouette with very specific materials like feather cashmere, embellished blazers, silk jacquards etc, and has imposed that style internationally and needs to stay focused on that to reassure and create faithful customers like for example, Ralph Lauren, Armani, Chanel and Hermès have done. Sometimes it’s really important to stop the evolution for a while to be able to create true classics.”
Sustainability is a critical issue in fashion today. How have you integrated sustainable practices into your business model, and what challenges have you encountered while doing so?
“For me the fabrics that a brand uses are as important as the designs.
“So when we started the process of changing into sustainable fabrics, my first obsession was to find the right people to hire, so as to ensure myself that everything we do will be 100% accurate and without false promises. And then hand in hand with my fabric makers in France, Italy, Portugal, India or China, convincing them and finding the solutions together. It was a big challenge, and it took a long time but now Zadig&Voltaire has 80% of sustainable manufacturing.
“The challenges are also that customers want this but they don’t want any change in look or that their clothes to feel less soft or be more expensive!”
With over two decades in the industry, how have you seen consumer behaviour evolve, and how has this impacted your approach to branding and marketing?
“Wow this is a huge question cause the customer behavior and customer services have changed tremendously! But also in different ways in different continents.
“Before, you would read a magazine, see something nice and then walk around in a shopping mall and maybe find the piece in the store. Or hope to find it in another country if you re lucky.
“Today you have the fashion shows online, Instagram influence or images on buses and taxis, street advertising or the store manager sending you WhatsApps on your mobile.
“But you don’t need to go to the store or travel because you can find everything online. Or in the store if you go there, on an iPad the sales person can propose you extra pieces. It never ends…
“And that is after standing in a line waiting outside the boutique… But when you enter the store you get the privilege of coffee, water or champagne.. All that would never have existed 20 years ago…
“Personally I love Instagram but I have always been obsessed by fashion magazines, but I think it’s two very different pleasures. But with this evolution of consumer habits, Zadig&Voltaire communication and marketing team has changed from advertising in magazines to mostly Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.”
What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs who wish to make their mark in the luxury fashion industry?
“This is what I was communicating to the students of Istituto Marangoni London at my recent talk there: Stay focused, don’t look at what other people do.
“Create your own DNA. Try immediately to invent a recognizable logo using defined lettering or a color that belongs to you. Look at the success of orange Hermès, turquoise Tiffany’s or green Bottega Veneta.
“Without mentioning the double C of Chanel or horse of Ralph Lauren.
“Surround yourself with a good team that gives you all the positive vibes and self-confidence. And it’s always good to create a tribe from the beginning.”
Being from Sweden and working in Paris, how have your cultural experiences influenced your creative and business processes?
“Even if France and Sweden are part of Europe, we still come from higher North and that brought me a colder mind and controlled emotions. And I think that has helped me in many situations. I succeeded in handling the pressure thanks to that. It has also helped me by being different. People somehow respect that difference, and I have always felt that people feel reassured by my Scandi education and values. And I have always had a very mathematical and practical approach in my work, even in my creativity.”
Looking ahead, what are the most significant trends you foresee impacting the luxury fashion sector, and how should brands adapt to stay relevant?
“I feel the trend of the future that is also the key to staying relevant, is going back to true quality, artisan’s craft and a legacy.
“There has been so much creativity and huge quantity of clothing that today the customer needs the feeling of an identity and that there is a story behind it with the engagement of true luxury.
“The trend of the future is uniqueness. Something you don’t find elsewhere. Not just a t-shirt or a hoodie with a logo on it.
“Buying something in the future will be an investment. In a timeless piece, that you maybe want to transmit one day. A message of long lasting quality.”
Finally, what do you believe are the essential qualities of a successful leader in the fashion industry, and how have you embodied these in your career?
“A successful leader should be firm to install respect and also human to install loyalty.
“They should know the whole chain of this industry because they need to understand who does what and really know if each manager is good at their job because otherwise they will build a house of cards instead of a stable house, when the company grows and the layer of employees starts adding up.
“A leader should understand the product and be also good with the financial aspect of this job. It goes hand and in hand.
“A good leader should know how to inspire their crowd.
“A good leader should know how and when to listen but know when it’s time to take the decision and take responsibility for this.”