Pascal Morand
Executive president of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode
Pascal Morand is the executive president of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, the body that coordinates Paris Fashion Week and represents the French couture and ready to wear houses. An economist by training, he previously directed the Institut Français de la Mode from 1987 to 2006 and was dean of ESCP Business School.
| Role | Executive president, Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode |
|---|---|
| Previously | Director of the Institut Français de la Mode (1987 to 2006) |
| Also | Dean of ESCP Business School (2006 to 2012) |
| Born | 1955, Neuilly sur Seine |
| Nationality | French |
Who is Pascal Morand?
Pascal Morand is a French economist, educator and fashion executive. As executive president of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM), he runs the institution at the heart of the Paris fashion system alongside the federation's president, Bruno Pavlovsky of Chanel, who was re-elected in July 2026, when Morand was again placed in charge of the executive committee. He also teaches at ESCP Business School.
Career
Morand began his career in academia. From 1978 he taught economics at Rouen Business School and later lectured at the University of Paris 1 and HEC, including a period as a visiting scholar at Northwestern University. In the mid 1980s he ran postgraduate programmes at ESCP.
From 1987 to 2006 he was director of the Institut Français de la Mode (IFM), the Paris fashion school and business education institute, shaping it into a reference point for fashion management training. He then served as dean of ESCP from 2006 to 2012, before becoming deputy director general of the Paris Ile de France Chamber of Commerce and Industry between 2013 and 2015. He moved to the federation in the mid 2010s.
Influence on the fashion business
The FHCM traces its roots to the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture of 1868 and took its current name in June 2017. It brings together around one hundred members, including many of the most recognised brands in the world, and coordinates the biannual Paris Fashion Week, which presents more than 150 brands selected by a committee. Key areas of the federation's work include:
- Organising the official Paris Fashion Week and Haute Couture calendars
- Representing French fashion houses to public authorities
- Supporting education through the Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture and the IFM, of which it is a founding member
- Combining traditional know how with contemporary technology
Morand has also written more than 25 works on fashion, innovation, globalisation and economics, including Les religions et le luxe (2012), which examines links between luxury and religion.
Why it matters
Paris remains the most influential fashion capital, and the rules, calendars and selection processes set by the federation shape which brands gain global visibility. Morand's background as both economist and fashion educator gives him a rare perspective on the industry's business models, and his long tenure at the IFM means many managers in French fashion and luxury trained in institutions he led.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Pascal Morand?
Pascal Morand is the executive president of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, which coordinates Paris Fashion Week. He is an economist who previously directed the Institut Français de la Mode and served as dean of ESCP Business School.
What does the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode do?
The federation represents around one hundred French and international fashion houses and organises the official Paris Fashion Week calendar. It also supports fashion education through its own school and as a founding member of the Institut Français de la Mode.