Walpole: What does your role entail, and how long have you been doing it?
Carla Filmer: My job title is Chief Marketing Officer, which means different things in different organisations, but here at Manolo Blahnik it means I'm responsible for the outward facing communications of the house globally. This comprises advertising, media, social & digital, content creation, press, and marketing, as well as all events. I’ve been with Manolo Blahnik for seven years and there hasn’t been a day that’s the same or that I’ve not loved. When I started, we were a very small team with a couple of people in press and someone doing marketing part time. Today, we have a large team in our head office in Mayfair, London encompassing marketing, press and content, as well as a dedicated team in the USA and smaller teams globally within our partner network.
What’s your career background?
When I was younger I was deeply passionate about art and design. However, this wasn’t considered important or encouraged at school and, as a result, I often felt quite lost. Deep down I was in a constant state of panic as I was told I would never get to further education. I went to art school with the intention of becoming a fabric designer, but this didn’t work out. After working in London at some great jobs, I then decided to switch and went back to university to London College of Fashion to do Business of Fashion Management. I could relate to all the topics being taught as, by that time, I'd already experienced life in a variety of offices, so I just loved my course and began to thrive – so much so that I was entered into something called Student of the Year from all six colleges in University of the Arts London. I didn’t win it, but I was a runner up – but the main thing was I had worked really, really hard to get there and I never looked back!
Can you tell us about a woman who you look up to regarding your work?
After school, I believed that if you worked hard, why shouldn’t you be rewarded? Of course it’s just not that simple for so many of us – and I didn’t realise that being a woman made that different. As a Seventies child, women were regarded differently compared to today and your place in the workforce was very different from that of a man. Today, we are still fighting for true equality. However, my Grandmother, who I lived with when I first came to London, really inspired me to succeed. When I came home from work, shattered, she would listen to my tales of work in awe. She told me how lucky I was to have all this at my fingertips as, when she married my grandfather, who worked for the Bank of England, she had to give up her career. That was just how it was. She was at home all day looking after three small boys and she confessed she was bored and lonely. I was very close to my grandmother and to have someone really look out for you when you are young and vulnerable can shape you and make you.
What’s a significant obstacle for women in your industry or the wider luxury sector that you feel isn’t talked about enough - and why is it important to highlight?
It's hard to be a young, working mother. At times, it has been a struggle to be the best mother and also be the best colleague. In hindsight, I’ve made choices which were not the best and I really regret not standing up for myself enough in the right way – not being there for some of my children’s most important moments. I had a three-month maternity leave for my first child, and that just wasn’t practical. Thank goodness there is now a more open conversation around flexible working at many organisations.
What advice would you have to other women following your career path that would have helped you when starting out?
Industries develop quickly, so it’s great to keep up-skilling a constant in your working life. Be aware of changes and work out how to keep ahead of them. If you invest in your health by going to a great gym, do the same with your career. As a minimum, read around your subject, consider courses – look at your blind spots and work on them. Continuous learning and adaptability to survive in a dynamic work environment is crucial.
What does success look like to you?
I would say employing people who are far more talented than you! I have a really strong team around me at Manolo Blahnik and there isn’t a day that goes by where I’m not in awe of what they can achieve. Success is about surrounding yourself with the right, positive people as what you can achieve as a team is just immense.