Vrouw Achter het Merk: Quinta Gelaudie

Quinta had a job that many grind their teeth over: she was head of marketing at Viktor & Rolf. Yes, the couture house. Luxury, creation, an international course – that was what she had fantasized about as a little girl. And yet, as she herself says, she had an Andy-from-The-Devil-Wears-Prada moment, where she thinks in the middle of Paris during fashion week: I’m done with this. And that after just six months.

Quinta, what happened?

The first months were amazing, it felt like my dream was coming true. Where I had worked for years, starting in luxury through an internship, moving on to cosmetics and then taking the step into fashion. Yet, after a few months, I realized that something was wrong within myself. I couldn't put my finger on it, but it felt like I wasn't doing what was truly meant for me. It was a difficult feeling, after working so long towards something. I tried to empower myself with a coach, but when my father passed away in May 2024, I knew immediately. I’m not going to find my strength here anymore. I decided to lay bare my struggles and had a conversation with HR. This was followed not only by a period of saying goodbye to my father but also to that dream job I had always wanted.

For someone who bites down and perseveres – that is evident from the rest of your CV; you worked for years at Cartier and then at least as long at Coty – I find it very brave to make this decision. How did you approach that?

Somewhere in my gut, I feel that it’s time for a change. Often, I can suppress those feelings for a while, until it becomes too much at some point. Then I often revert to writing. Writing, writing, and more writing. And reading too, rereading what I have written so often. Then it often turns out that there is already a direction in it. In 2006, I wrote that I wanted to become a stylist for people with a low income. I didn’t have a big wallet during my time at Cartier and enjoyed being creatively involved in fashion. When I reread that in 2022, it all fell into place. I had to help Dress for Success. I have also mentioned my job at Viktor&Rolf several times as my dream job. I can’t help but go back to reading during periods of unrest in myself and try to determine a new direction. Sometimes that happens immediately, sometimes it takes a bit more time, but I feel it deep down.

Your life suddenly turned black. Your father passed away and the so, so, so desired pregnancy was not good. There was a lot on your plate. Where you might have chosen to focus solely on breathing and standing tall, your gears started turning. Tell me.

After my father's death, I thought for a while that I would never find a “spark” again. Many job vacancies did little for me, and I thought there would be nothing interesting for me. Fortunately, during my role at Viktor&Rolf, I had engaged a coach and had a few sessions left. Together we talked about what I really value: authenticity, sharing knowledge, making connections. Everything came together when I got in touch with Amsterdam Fashion Academy and started my own company, House of Qunage, where I teach, give talks, and mentor. The establishment of my company coincided with my pregnancy, and when that ended, it all felt like failure. I thought I could no longer find the motivation to set something up on my own. Fortunately, Amsterdam Fashion Academy asked me to prepare a lecture. That set things in motion. Now my perseverance feels like a tribute to my daughter Lily. If things had gone differently, I wouldn’t have had this time to work on my business; that awareness lives strongly within me. I owe it to her to get everything out of myself and do everything to make myself happy.

And now we are half a year later and you are here. You are a mentor, you teach. Tell us what you do.

I teach at 2 wonderful schools, Amsterdam Fashion Academy and Dalí College, where I have set up a guest series in which teenagers shape their own fashion brand, with mood boards, sketches, logo design, and marketing. It’s incredibly fun to see this creativity. Additionally, I give talks about career transitions and organize connections to bring people in fashion together. Recently, I also became a mentor and work with women who want to take a step towards fashion. Everything falls under the concept of ‘Fashion in Transition’, where progress and fashion are central. My focus for next year is on writing a book for young adults. Of course, with a link to fashion. I have already had some incredibly fun conversations about this, something I couldn’t have imagined a year earlier.

It’s difficult for all of us to keep juggling the balls of life, but for you, it seems like quite a task – because when you teach, you are simply not that flexible. Moreover, you are doing it all for the first time, so there’s no autopilot to rely on. So here’s the question: how do you do it?

Often it’s through the energy of others. The students in my classes give me so much energy. Just like all the lovely responses to my posts on LinkedIn. I receive so many kind words from people who recognize themselves in the messages I share about starting over, pregnancy loss, and working in and around fashion. It’s a confirmation that I am on the right path and that with my words, I can inspire people to make the changes they so desire.

And I have been incredibly lucky with my lovely colleagues at Amsterdam Fashion Academy, with whom I can share my amazement and questions about education. It feels somewhat like starting in a new role without onboarding, but by sharing stories, I gain so much useful knowledge and inspiration that it’s always a nice moment to step into that classroom or onto that stage.

You told me that as a little girl, you dreamed of the world of luxury. Not a nepo-baby, because your father worked for the municipality and your mother in a nursing home. Where did that come from?

I have never been able to trace it. My family comes from Amsterdam North, Marken, and IJmuiden. No nonsense, honest, hard work. No splendor and pomp. I was the only one in the family with a passion for luxury. A Louis Vuitton bag was my big dream, and working for a beautiful French luxury brand was my ultimate future. Shows like The Hills, The City, Gossip Girl, and Sex and the City only intensified my desire for beautiful things.

What did you study to get here?

I was the typical student who didn’t quite know what she wanted to do, except talk a lot. PR seemed appealing, so I chose Communication Science, with a specialization in Media, Entertainment & Popular Culture. My thesis was about women’s magazines, where I tested a new theory on why women’s magazines were read. By the time of my Master’s, I already had a part-time job at the Dutch office of Cartier.

Has the combination of a modest background actually brought you a lot in that world of luxury? I can imagine that very well.

I have always had a down-to-earth view of things. Of course, I can enjoy beautiful items, craftsmanship, and fine materials, but I also know that I can enjoy without them. During my first years of work, I had no large income, yet I had to attend the most beautiful events, where guests wore outfits from Valentino and Gucci, while I wore a dress from Zeeman. It sometimes made me insecure, representing such a brand at such a young age, but I think it also kept me grounded. I was happy with the transition to cosmetics, where luxury is made accessible to more people.

What about the finances? In startup phases, money usually doesn’t flow in immediately.

No, it’s still a lot of investing at this stage. Fortunately, I started with a starter period from the UWV, where there is less pressure to be financially healthy in the first months. This allows me to start building the business, and I notice that it gives me a lot of peace and the right direction. I don’t have to take on work in a direction I’d rather not go. And presenting myself in this honest way, on social media and especially LinkedIn, is already attracting the right partners.

For whom is Quinta Gelaudie the woman you need to know?

For everyone who loves fashion, but especially for the people behind it.
For women who dare to chase their dreams, for students who are searching for their path, and for brands that value authenticity over perfection. I want to show that it’s possible to do what you’ve always wanted, in your own way. As a speaker and mentor, I help others take that step too, with courage, meaning, and a touch of fashion. I want to tell real stories in which people can recognize themselves.

What do you have to offer people?

Recognition, inspiration, and direction. Through my lectures, classes, and mentoring programs, I show that behind every perfect picture lies a real story. I talk about fashion, about careers, about starting over, and unfortunately sometimes also about loss. Because I believe that it is precisely in vulnerability that the strength lies to create anew.
Via House of Qunage I connect worlds: education, fashion, and personal growth. And that might just be my biggest mission, to show that meaningful fashion starts with yourself.

If there is someone I wish much success and happiness to, it is you.