interview by LYAS
photography by Jesper D. Lund
Who is Lucien Pagès? Guru, seer, champion of young fashion talent, Prince of PR—Pagès seems to be everywhere and nowhere at once. How is this possible? And where did he come from? Born and raised in his parents’ hotel in the rural village of Vialas in southern France, he grew up observing the choreography of human ambition. Notable guests included French President François Mitterrand, who arrived by private helicopter. The lodgings also housed a Michelin-starred restaurant. It was an early masterclass in people, perception, and influence—a curriculum that would later shape how he navigates the rarefied world of fashion. Since founding his eponymous agency in 2006, Pagès has not only witnessed the explosive rise of contemporary fashion, he has helped shape it. Representing over 150 brands across fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and beyond, his agency is a reservedly powerful force in the industry. While Pagès himself remains elusive, his name is synonymous with luxury. In a world defined by appearances and curated reputations, Pagès manages to have his cake and eat it too. This duality—control and freedom, invisibility and exposure, strategy and honesty, power and humanity—appears to be his secret weapon. Pagès is also not afraid of the future and welcomes new forms of media. He has been instrumental in opening the door to content creator and mononymic fashion commentator, Lyas, whose social media feed carries formidable clout among a new generation of sartorial enthusiasts. Lyas, who navigates the fashion ecosystem with keen insight, sharp wit, and a touch of red lipstick, has been highly successful in piercing its snobbery and institutional conservatism. Through a careful balance of media-trained and candid responses, Pagès explores with Lyas the balance of truth and manipulation in PR, the art of crisis management, and the pressures of surviving in a fast-paced, highly demanding industry. Pagès’ perspective illuminates the delicate interplay between leverage and authenticity, showing how strategy, empathy, and poise can coexist at the highest levels of fashion.
LYAS Do you think that PR is mostly manipulation? Can you answer in a media-trained way?
LUCIEN PAGÈS No. PR is not manipulation. I always say, because I’m very well trained, PR is the link between a brand’s designer and different types of media.
LYAS And the real answer… (laughs)
PAGÈS There is a bit of manipulation. (laughs) Especially right now, where truth is no longer important. What’s important is perception. You have to be as manipulative as the people who manipulate you. You have to anticipate the manipulation, which is already a manipulation itself. Things used to be easier. Now, something can be right, it can be wrong, whatever, but the perception from the outside is what makes the difference—not the reality.
LYAS What percentage of the job would you say is lying?
PAGÈS Manipulation is not a lie for me. It’s using reality and narrowing, or reworking it into a different narrative. Because when you lie, it never lasts. Eventually, people will find out. You have to extract from reality or you won’t last in this world.
LYAS Sometimes you get more press than some of your brands. Is that intentional?
PAGÈS The media-trained answer is no. It's absolutely not intentional. I was never proactive with my own communication.
LYAS And now the real answer.
PAGÈS When I accepted to do a pop-up, “Les Vacances de Lucien” at Colette in 2017, I became more exposed, and I needed the press. My brands were at Colette without actually managing to sell there. I asked myself, should I do it or not? But I realized that that exposure is a plus for my marketing career and for my company. Now I’m not as proactive. I’m very cautious about it. It's a slow process and I'm not thinking about it all the time. I know it’s good for the brand because I became the brand. I’m freer to speak than my clients, because they have the CEO telling them what they can and cannot say. I have few limitations, besides not offending my clients. Otherwise, I'm very free. Of course, with my clients, we do media training. And sometimes I ask them not to speak as freely, because it’s a business and economics are on the line. The fashion industry is huge with lots of employees.
LYAS Who terrifies PR the most—the journalists, the influencers, or the clients?
PAGÈS We have to be careful with everyone because they’re all equally important.
LYAS (laughs) Okay. And what’s the real answer?
PAGÈS I think it’s the client. (laughs)
LYAS How do you choose who gets invited to a show?
PAGÈS The media-trained answer is: we know who has press accreditation or who is accredited by The Fédération [de la Haute Couture et de la Mode]. The other answer is: we adapt to the client. Some clients may need to look cooler because they aren’t cool, or some need to be more established. Some brands need to bring higher-profile people to their show to let the industry know that they matter. It’s a tailor-made approach. And, of course, we invite everyone who is someone. (laughs) When we have limited capacity, we have to narrow our choices. It's becoming more difficult because it's not always about the importance of someone. Some of the most important people will never help you during the season. But then there are people who have a lesser title and they do help you during the season. It's complicated to find the balance between those who support the brand and those who are just important. There are rules. So, if someone is not happy with not being invited, we can always explain. There’s always a reason. Sometimes it's just—you're not important and you don't support the brand. (laughs) We know you just want to attend the show.
LYAS Literally.
PAGÈS You know, when there’s a problem, I ask the team: did this person actually shoot something this season, do they support the brand? Because it’s fine to create a little drama, but if they don’t contribute and still get invited, that’s what bothers me. For me, that’s the rule breaker—it’s not just about a title, it’s about real support. The tricky part is, people can abuse the situation. They push hard for seats, sometimes even threatening, “We’ll tell the designer,” which leads to absurd situations at shows. We don’t always want to escalate things over seating, so sometimes we let it slide. But that weakness in the system gets exploited, especially since designers have their own friendships and personal ties. Which is normal because if a designer wants a friend at their show, that’s their right. But that’s also where the rules stop working.
LYAS Is there anyone you would never invite to a show?
PAGÈS (laughs) I don’t even know how to say it with media training. I can’t decide this for a brand that is not mine, you know? It isn’t my show, so why would I blacklist someone from someone else’s show?
LYAS And the real answer?
PAGÈS There’s people who behave very badly or make trouble for no reason, so we will advise the brand not to invite them. These people are well known to all the PR. But I will not invite someone just because I don't like them, because again, it's not my show.
LYAS Maybe if it was your show, it would be different. (laughs)
PAGÈS Yes, of course. (laughs) It’s touchy. It’s fashion. And we have to be very subtle with all this because it's a relationship. This is what I say to my team: in public relations, there is relation—you have to take care of the relationship. Offending people has never worked.
LYAS How do you handle a bad review?
PAGÈS There is always something to learn from a bad review. (laughs)
LYAS Real answer, please.
PAGÈS I’m stressed now. People are going to read this. For me, it’s not a bad review until it’s personal. If it's about the work, you have to learn from it. For instance, if a journalist doesn't like this style or this designer, it’s valid. But if the review becomes personal, then it’s an issue, and we can decide not to invite this person anymore. It’s about analyzing the situation, because sometimes a review is honest, and sometimes the person has a grudge and it’s not objective anymore, which is unfair. If you feel that the bad review isn’t so wrong, then you have to guide your client into reflection. If you think it’s unfair, then it’s a discussion. But it’s also very weird, because more and more designers will tell you they don’t read the reviews. But I think they do.
LYAS I think they read it.
PAGÈS I do too. They say they don’t care, and then they follow with, “Oh, look at what Kathy wrote about this other designer.” (laughs)
LYAS They read it only when it’s positive.
PAGÈS The art of reviewing is dying, so we have to cherish and protect it because there is less and less journalism. The industry doesn’t care so much anymore about an opinion. To come back to my first answer, there is always something good to learn from a critic, because you can improve, or the opposite—the designer can react and say he or she doesn’t care and push even harder.
I’m happy that voices from social media, like you, started reviewing. They are sustaining the art of reviewing in their own way. They are also reaching a new generation, which gives me hope that this art is not dead yet.
LYAS We have the freedom to do it because of social media. It’s all about being independent. What was your last crisis meeting?
PAGÈS I think it was this morning. (laughs)
LYAS So, that’s the real answer. (laughs) Now, can you give me the media-trained one?
PAGÈS I haven’t had a crisis for a long time because we are very careful with everything.
LYAS Have you ever thought a designer you worked with was untalented?
PAGÈS No, because I only choose designers who have so much talent. (laughs)
LYAS Okay. And now the…
PAGÈS …The real answer. Yes, of course. Sometimes I see a collection and think that my dog could have done better. (laughs)
LYAS Have you ever thought about quitting fashion?
PAGÈS Yes. Always. Every day. That’s the real answer.
LYAS (laughs) Media training?
PAGÈS Of course, I love fashion. I can’t live without fashion. But both answers are very real. When it’s too painful, sometimes I want to quit because it’s too much work, too much pressure. Then, I think about what I would do instead. I would feel miserable to see myself not participating in it. You have to find the balance.
LYAS Do you think you need tough skin to survive in this industry?
PAGÈS Yes, you need tough skin, of course. It’s an industry of evaluating people. Fashion is where everything is more intense because of the rhythm. If you work on a movie or a book, it takes years to complete. But in fashion, everything is fast-paced; they are constantly working on collections. If people are paranoid in other industries, they are ultra paranoid in fashion. If you think someone is mean, fashion people are much meaner. That’s why I never liked The Devil Wears Prada (2006) because she's too nice! (laughs)
LYAS That’s an amazing quote.
PAGÈS We both have lived way worse than Miranda Priestly.
LYAS Of course.
PAGÈS You either need tough skin or a lot of protection. A lot of sensitive people think they cannot survive in the fashion industry, but that’s not true, because with sensitivity often comes creativity. Those people often find a way to protect themselves. It’s not just about being a warrior, it’s about knowing the warrior you are. And being strange is a strength in fashion. I see a lot of comments, mostly on TikTok, where people say, “Oh, I could never work in fashion because I know no one,” or “I can’t do PR because I’m too shy.” I tell people, you don’t have to be the Terminator, because it’s a job that requires emotions and sensitivity.
LYAS You hugged me once, do you remember? When I got fired from my first job in fashion.
PAGÈS I told you that it was going to happen.
LYAS That I was going to get a hug or get fired?
PAGÈS Fired. (laughs)
LYAS Yeah, of course. But I felt such humanity from you on that day. Is it hard to stay human in an industry that sometimes tries to suppress humanity?
PAGÈS No, it’s not hard—fashion is beautiful. (laughs) It’s not hard to keep your humanity if you are a human. People expect you to be tough because you’re your own boss and run your own company. Early in my career, I was always told I wasn’t tough enough. But I never wanted to become the “monster” people expect someone in my position to be. I resisted that whole ‘bad cop’ idea. I’d rather be the person who stands with you. Of course, you do have to fight to keep your humanity, because people want to put you in a box. They like the idea of someone with a strong attitude—it makes them feel more comfortable. But that’s also where you risk losing your humanity. In the end, I think that’s why our agencies have been successful: we always leaned into humanity rather than the performance of power.
LYAS The power can get to your head.
PAGÈS Yes, but I’ve been very clear about that since the beginning, because I know it’s fragile. I know that everything you build for years can be lost in one day. You have to be humble because you never know what will happen. I always felt some protection over me because I always behaved well, not because I knew some powerful friend or whatever. If I was a total dick, I think I could have had much more trouble. You receive what you give.
LYAS How do you know if someone really likes you or if they just need you?
PAGÈS I have very good instincts. I can see what’s coming. (laughs) The real answer is that I don’t care. I like to be used.
LYAS (laughs) I love! Actually, me too.
PAGÈS If I can help people with something they need, I can give it to them. If I’m ready to give, I give it. I like friendships in work more than in real life.
LYAS Why?
PAGÈS Because things are clearer. I’m fine with journalists and I can call them for something that I need, and they are aware of my interest. We don't have to fool each other, and through our mutual respect, we become friends, and of course, we help each other.
LYAS Has a relationship that started in work ever become more of a personal one?
PAGÈS Yes. But I prefer to meet people for work reasons, because then it’s clear from the start that we both want something. After that, we can move forward to a true friendship. When people pretend to be your friend from the beginning, for me, it's always a concern.
LYAS That’s an interesting perspective. Have you ever made someone cry?
PAGÈS No, never. (laughs) I do my best to maintain peace and harmony.
LYAS Real answer, please.
PAGÈS Yes, of course. Well, it hasn’t happened many times. It was never on purpose. It was more a lack of knowledge that the person was on the edge. You say something that’s normal, but it's not normal for the person who receives it.
LYAS What’s something in your work you’ve done that you're not proud of?
PAGÈS I’m proud of everything. My successes and my failures. (laughs)
LYAS Okay. So what’s the real answer?
PAGÈS (laughs) Yes, there is.
LYAS Can you give me an example?
PAGÈS No, I can’t. (laughs) There are two things, but I will not tell.
LYAS Just one of them, please?
PAGÈS It’s just things that I could have done better. Because of being tired and stressed, I didn’t make the right decision at the right moment. It’s just this sort of thing that I’m not proud of.
LYAS But Lucien, can you find one to tell us? (laughs)
PAGÈS I have to think about it.
LYAS I have time. I want one crispy little thing.
PAGÈS Okay, I need to think. (laughs) Every mistake I made was under pressure. And I don't forgive myself. Not to excuse myself, but I think that with my job and my position, I have to react well under pressure, but I’m taking full responsibility for my mistakes. It’s just that sometimes people drive me crazy over stupid things.
LYAS Like what?
PAGÈS Like a piece of clothing that never arrived at a shoot. It happens, and it’s my duty to protect my team. You can say, “Come on, it’s just a shirt or a belt,” but sometimes the person is too important and you end up being scared. It’s always the little things, and you often think, “Why do we put ourselves in these pathetic positions because of that?” But that's fashion.
LYAS That’s fashion for you, baby.