Vittoria Liu - Two Weeks at HEC Paris Changed the Course of My Life

Little did Vittoria Liu know that signing up at HEC Paris’ Summer School program would change her life. Two weeks were enough to inspire her to action and give her the network to launch a profitable perfume line within six months.

“For anyone living in Europe, HEC Paris is a big name. You can’t avoid it,” Vittoria Liu, founder of hima jomo says. After working for a few years at Mercedes in Stuttgart, Vittoria wanted to expand her career and explore other luxury markets. When she saw the HEC Paris Summer Program in Luxury Management, she jumped on the opportunity as an entry point to the marketing field and applied. 

Vittoria was inspired to take a look at the perfume industry by visiting professor, Michel Chavalier and his impressive accolades in the industry - as a published author, and president of a perfume brand. He spoke of the successes his students had in the perfume industry, a business with good margins, and easy marketing and distribution. “Thanks to him, I had a beautiful picture of the perfume industry.” However, she quickly discovered that the world of perfume is complex, especially when it comes to managing the supply chain and ensuring consistent quality.

Despite the challenges, Vittoria was able to launch her own brand, hima jomo, last June, inspired by the Himalayan nature and culture.  In six months, she is already profitable and currently sells her line in 30 perfume shops worldwide (including Russia, the Netherlands, Taiwan, South Africa). hima jomo is quickly expanding into new markets. “By the end of the year, we’ll be in 100 stores.”

She has been fortunate to work with top perfumers in the industry, including Bertrand Duchaufour and Barnabé Fillion, to handcraft unique and high-quality scents. The product line reflects her values, as they are cruelty-free and made with recyclable packaging. Her first line, called SEASONS is based on the four seasons of the Himalayan mountains. Her second line is called TREASURES (featuring 3 Himalaya treasures) and will be launched in June 2023.

“I wasn’t born with entrepreneurship. I never believed I could be a leader, until I created my own brand.  It’s not something I was born with, but something that’s developed and refined along the way. 

It comes with time and how much responsibility you take on, and how you empower people around you and how you help others to achieve their goals.

Everyone has something inside them, they don't realize until they're pushed to the point where they have to be responsible, to make an effort, to dive into the reality and the challenges and overcome difficulties.

HEC is definitely where everything started. HEC planted a seed in my heart."

For more information on the Summer School Program in Luxury Management