For a little over a year now, Didier has been in charge of supervising the photo studio. With his playful sense of humour, this lighthearted jokester answered a few questions about his role within the company, and gave us some insight into his personality.
What is your role at Laura Canada?
I am the studio supervisor for Laura’s in-house photo studio, where we shoot all the e-commerce imagery for Laura and Melanie Lyne websites (4 divisions in total). It’s my job to make sure that all clothing styles get shot in a timely manner, all while maintaining high photographic and stylistic standards. My daily tasks vary from day to day—which keeps things interesting—and can include anything from scheduling photoshoots (we shoot 3 to 5 days a week, year-round), to creating guidelines and procedures, to making sure the studio runs as efficiently as possible. The last one’s pretty important since we receive roughly 12 000 styles per year, and we need 4 shots of each… if you did the math, it’s a lot.
What are your biggest challenges?
Having many artists on set, whether it be photographers, stylists, or hair and makeup artists, it’s definitely challenging to keep up with everyone’s “artistic vision”. Having a background in photography, I know that the vibe on set will set the pace for the day, which is why I do my best to keep everyone happy. Good music and friendly chats can go a long way in a photo studio.
What do you like about the company?
My favourite thing about Laura Canada is the support it offers its employees. Whether it be in regards to technical tools one needs to be better and more efficient at his or her job, or the encouragement and assistance from co-workers and management.
What is your greatest professional/personal achievement?
My greatest personal achievement is without a doubt raising the 2 best kids in the world. I have a 5-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son. Seeing how they are coming into their own makes me proud of all the hard work and sacrifices I have made for them. It’s one thing to have kids, but to put in the time and the love is the true meaning of being a parent.
My greatest professional achievement is having photographed a seasonal campaign for a major Canadian fashion retailer. It was really cool seeing my photographs on highway billboards.
Do you have any hobbies? What are they?
I took up skiing this winter for the first time in 20 years. I‘m a little rusty, but it was surprisingly easy to get right back into it…like riding a bike, on snow, with no wheels…down a steep hill. It’s a great way to get out of the house and exercise during the winter, the Netflix scene was getting really old. I also love cooking and camping. In my next life, I would go to culinary school, but for now I’ll stick to running “Chez Didier” restaurant for my family.
Quick Six
1. Who is your go to person for advice at Laura?
For my day to day, my right arm is Kayla, the studio coordinator. She’s a wiz with all things “sample inventory”, and as previously mentioned, we deal with A LOT of samples.
For the big picture stuff, my supervisor Marco, the VP of e-commerce, has a knack for calming me down when I get stressed. He has a lot of experience dealing with all kinds of issues.
2. What is your favourite colour?
If we’re talking about what colour I prefer to wear, I would say navy. What colour I prefer to look at? Hot pink.
3. Number one spot in Montreal?
I don’t really venture far from the southwest borough of Montreal, the Plateau is too crowded for me. St-Henri and Verdun have the Atwater market, the Canal, and a bunch of hidden gems for food and drinks, let alone cheaper rent (bonus!).
4. Favourite clothing item?
The only pants I’ll ever wear: Levi’s 512 (black or raw denim wash)
5. Who is your biggest inspiration?
Definitely my wife. Her values, ethics, and hard work inspire me to be a better person.
6. Where are you going on your next vacation?
I have been saying this every year for the past ten years: Southeast Asia!
But realistically, the Maritimes. Also very nice.
