After taking a leap of faith online, a Parisian mom secured a Louis Vuitton internship for her 14-year-old son.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, user Odessa recounted a day when her son Milan took her to an LVMH exhibit in front of La Samaritaine and realized how much the brand meant to him.
“I have never seen him as amazed as the day he introduced me to your exhibition… he knew a lot about the partnerships and the history of Louis Vuitton,” Odessa said.
In addition to talking up Milan’s Photoshop skills and dreams, Odessa also shared his original designs which used the iconography the brand is known for.
BFMTV journalist Marie Gentric interviewed Milan on Nov. 9, which garnered the attention of the company’s LVADGI and special projects manager, Baron Osuna, three days after the first interview.
As part of the Louis Vuitton Accessories Design Graduates Initiative, the company offers students like Milan opportunities to compete for the chance to work with the brand.
While students are encouraged to apply on their own, Milan was a special case as he was sought out by not one but two high-ranking representatives of the company.
In a follow-up post, Odessa confirmed that Milan’s designs also got the attention of Johnny Coca, the women’s leather goods fashion director.
“Milan is passionate, he has a lot of talent, and Johnny wants to discuss it with you,” Coca’s assistant said.
Living the dream
After accepting Coca’s offer, Milan began his internship at the Paris branch, which brought him into contact with one of the company’s biggest faces, albeit from a distance.
“First day at Louis Vuitton with Milan, I turn around, I see Pharell Williams, the man who will never age, waving to go out,” Odessa recounted.
Unlike most internships, which last a few weeks, Odessa only asked for a week-long observation in her original post, and sure enough, that’s how long the internship lasted.
That said, it hardly mattered how brief it was once Milan had his foot in the door and began making connections.
“I met Johnny Coca, I couldn’t help but cry as I shook his hand and thanked him for taking care of my son and giving him a chance,” Odessa said after the internship concluded.
“Milan just came across the best designer there is, he’s just a design genius. He also started from nothing and worked like crazy to establish himself as a young prodigy at the age of 21 (which he humbly refutes).”
Are there precedents?
Looking at the company’s broader history, there seems to be something of a pattern of hardworking prodigies finding success through powerful connections.
Before launching his business during the late 1800s, Louis Vuitton was a struggling cobbler who left home at 13.
Overcoming homelessness and extreme poverty, Vuitton slowly built a reputation that landed steady work for the French elite during the reign of Napoleon III, and his legacy endures to this day, both through the brand and designers like Milan, who were inspired by his story.
“This week was magical for him and reinforced my faith in his talent,” Odessa said.
“Push your children to believe in their most fantastic dreams!”
