Last September, I had the honor to speak with one Dartmouth’s most fashionable and influential alumni, Pauline Brown.
After graduating from Dartmouth in ’88 and receiving a M.B.A. from Wharton, Brown became a consultant at Bain, held executive roles at companies such as Estee Lauder, became chairman of LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) North America, taught at Harvard Business School, and currently sits on the board of multiple fashion houses. Over the course of her career, Brown has helped lead many global luxury brands to their current success.
In 2019, she published Aesthetic Intelligence: How to boost it and Use it in Business and Beyond based off of her Harvard course. In her book, she covers the many facets of aesthetic intelligence. Below is an excerpt in which Brown defines aesthetic intelligence:
Our ability to understand, interpret, and articulate feelings that are elicited by a particular object or experience. Essentially, aesthetic intelligence is the development of “taste”—the ability to discern what is desirable and why and how to attain it.
My interview with Pauline Brown below highlights my takeaways and burning questions after reading her masterpiece. Finally, tune in to our guest speaker event on Wednesday, February 10th to hear more from her firsthand!
- Do you think most college students have a strong aesthetic intelligence? How could aesthetic intelligence help college students?
I think all people (including college students) have far more capacity for aesthetic intelligence than they exercise. Unfortunately, aesthetic skills often atrophy while people are in college. Students aren’t given the time, tools or encouragement to develop their personal tastes, whilst their focus is predominantly on intellectual development and academic performance.
- What was your favorite outfit that you wore during your college years at Dartmouth?
My wardrobe was rather blah while I was at Dartmouth. I’d like to blame the harsh weather for that, but I think it was due to lack of confidence. The one and only area where I exerted stylistic authority was through my dangling earrings. I wore a different pair every day. Many of them were passed down from my maternal grandmother. I liked the contrast of wearing Victorian-era chandelier earrings with snow boots and puffy parkas. I also had quite a collection of artsy earrings that I had bought in the East Village while in High School. Other than my earrings, I was rather unremarkable.
- What was your inspiration for writing this book?
I felt that the business world had not evolved with the consumer marketplace. And, businesspeople weren’t remotely prepared to respond to the changes in the market.
Moreover, businesspeople have become so focused on the bottom-line rather than on selling products and services that consumers actually want. In a nutshell, they’ve lost touch with the market.
To survive, they’ll need to re-instill a human touch. Aesthetics is one of the most powerful and untapped tools for doing so.
- In Chapter 2, you talked about the elevated experience of buying a Chanel lipstick at Nieman’s compared to buying a Revlon lipstick at Walmart. With the increase of internet shopping, how does purchasing the Chanel lipstick on the internet compare?
The internet is a great equalizer. Within the frame of a 2-dimensional pixelated screen, there’s little differentiation between high-end brands and low-end ones. In the absence of a bricks-and-mortar presence, I don’t think Chanel can continue to justify its price points. That said, so long as Chanel can continue to combine its exquisite online images with rich off-line experiences, I don’t think Revlon can begin to compete on price, demand or desirability.
- In your book, you appear to be of the mindset that brick and mortar stores offer consumers an experience and sense of discovery that is diminished online. However, COVID-19 has caused many stores to close. What do you see as the future for retail after the pandemic is over?
I’m bullish on the long-term future of well-run, well-located and well-curated boutiques. Shoppers will continue to go to Amazon.com for functional needs and convenience, but they won’t go to Amazon.com for inspiration or personal service. The problem with most retailers is that they don’t offer any element of inspiration. And the quality of their service is abysmal.
- In Chapter 4, you mention people’s purchases are directly affected by how brands and items make them feel. Do you believe there is a difference between men and women’s emotional attachment to purchases and brands?
Sure. Both men and women are equally affected by emotional drivers, but the emotions may be triggered by different segments. For example, men typically identify much more closely with the cars they drive and the watches they wear. Women, with their handbags and shoes. Even within the same categories, men and women may respond to different cues. The same can be said of the various emotional triggers for Gen X vs. Gen Z. What’s important here is to recognize the power that emotions have on driving most of our brand preferences and buying decisions. I wish business schools would spend more effort educating students on the power of emotions than they do on the power of analytics.
- In Chapter 6, you wrote, “my color choices are based on my quest for happiness.” I smiled when I read this, as I can definitely relate to this idea. What are your favorite colors and why? Does your wardrobe reflect your love for those colors?
I’m drawn to richly saturated jewel-tone colors – especially emerald green. In fact, I designed an entire living room around the color palate of a taxidermy peacock that I own.
When it comes to my wardrobe, I usually wear black; I prefer to inject color, personality and drama through my accessories.
- In Chapter 7, you speak of Mood boards, which are a more sophisticated version of trendy collages. How do collages help teenagers develop their aesthetic intelligence?
Mood boards teach people how to tell a story in the absence of words and sentences. They also teach people how to convey feelings and ideas through images. As a society, we rely heavily on text for communications, when, in fact, other sensations like touch/smell/taste can achieve far more effect.
- How did you stay warm and fashionable during the winter in Hanover?
It’d be a lot easier today than it was in the 1980s. For one reason, Moncler (on whose board I used to sit) wasn’t around in the ‘80s. That brand really broke the mold by making outerwear sexy.
- How did Dartmouth influence your aesthetic intelligence?
I developed a deep appreciation for nature, and, specifically, the nature of the Granite State. The campus really is situated in one of the most majestic settings. To this day, I try to incorporate as much as natural life as possible in my own aesthetic designs. Hence, the peacock.
- As not all the Dartmouth students have likely read your book (yet), what tips would you convey to help students curate their personal style?
Start with an internal audit of your own aesthetic influences. Over the years, what and who have shaped your preferences and aspirations? How? Great taste is built on a deep and honest self-expression. It’s also built on strong editorial ability. So, be careful not to pile on too much of a good thing. As Coco Chanel once said, “elegance is refusal.”
- Do you believe in fashion faux-pas? Do you have any fashion pet peeves?
Well, I hate the big, loud, clunky sneaker movement. I especially hate it when non-athletic brands (like Dior) come out with their own $1,000+ line of sneakers. In 20 years from now, we’ll look back and laugh at the sneakers we’re wearing and the sky-high prices we’re paying for them. Meantime, my kids insist I’m wrong.