Blue Cast: Nicolas Prophte on Purpose and the Power of Relationship
As the denim industry continues its sustainability journey, it will primarily be people and relationships that determine how fast or slow this progress happens.
“If you look back 10 years ago, and where we are now, there is a tremendous journey that has been engaged,” said Nicolas Prophte, vice president, global denim center at PVH Corp. “Generally I can see a big change or moving fast. And of course, it’s never fast enough. But I’m quite optimistic.”
In the latest episode of our Blue Cast podcast, Nicolas chatted with Lenzing’s Tuncay Kilickan about his career path, the importance of education and sustainability progress.
Nicolas entered the denim world shortly before 2000 after working in sportswear. His early denim education was supported by the local denim production industry in France. At the time, there were laundries just a 30-minute drive away from his office, where he could go to discover how denim is made. This ignited a passion.
“You get in love not only with the products,” said Nicolas. “I think what I learned after so many years, you really engage with the whole denim industry—for the spinning, for the weaving, the fabric meals and the laundry.”
Prior to joining PVH, Nicolas spent 12 years at Pepe Jeans working in sourcing, design and product management. Earlier, he had a stint at Kenzo within luxury conglomerate LVMH.
One thing that Nicolas has seen change in the last decade or so is the importance of sustainability in product development. “The product itself, yes, we need to be the best in the world. But the how it’s made becomes for me as much as valuable,” said Nicolas. “So I think that’s the different balance that we have to deal with today.”
With consumers and regulators looking more closely at supply chains, being able to back up claims is critical, but Nicolas noted it is still a challenge to have full transparency. PVH has drilled down to the crop level with its Farm to Jeans program.
This emphasis on green jeans has also necessitated a new skillset, as well as ensuring the right talent is in place. Nicolas suggested establishing a “purpose-driven culture” for teams to inspire them. “I believe in the power of relationship, and you really create the same profile of people focused on the same vision and values,” Nicolas said. “And you create so much energy and people are so motivated.”
To create sustainable impact in the industry, education will be key. Nicolas delivers talks to students, and PVH is aligned with Denim City in Amsterdam to do outreach to both the community and students. He stressed the importance of students remaining curious and continuing to learn down the road, beyond college.
“If you want to change our society or system, you need to invest in the young generation because they are the future of the world,” said Nicolas.
Listen to the episode here.