Meet Fabienne
Fabienne is an international DJ, stylist & presenter, spinning for the last six years, in London, NYC, LA & Europe. Fresh off of a whirlwind last year, dJ’ing a Summer of festivals – Glastonbury, Boomtown, Shambala, as well as in New York & Mykonos at the Soho Houses there. Having Dj’ed for the BAFTAs, Armani and Farfetch, from club to corporate, Fabienne’s DJ’ed for the likes of Kelis and Lizzo, to yacht parties at Cannes Film Festival as well as sweaty raves in London’s Dalston & Shoreditch.
As a presenter, Fabienne hosted live events for Stella McCartney, Nivea, Malibu Rum & Mixcloud.
“I like to champion emerging talent whether that’s musicians or through my fashion styling projects and what I wear on a daily basis.”
Fabienne started her marketing journey after University, working within the corporate environment for 5 years then branching out to form her company with a specialism in fashion and beauty. Since then, Papillon Communications has expanded into the lifestyle and wellness sectors, Fabienne heads up a team of brand marketing & creative strategy specialists, working on a diverse array of projects, from TV Campaigns to lifestyle shoots.
Extract taken from the transcript of the podcast recording
FD: [00:07:15] So you started your career in quite a corporate way jumping into L’Oreal. Was there a time when you thought, well, i’ve made it? This is exactly what I wanted to do. I’ve got a big company behind me. How did you feel at that point versus this sort of pivot where you sort of decided, actually, I didn’t want to work for anybody else anymore. I want to do my own thing. What forced that change to happen in your mind? [00:07:43]
FH: [00:07:44] L’Oreal, for me, was like a great opportunity to learn. I don’t think I ever went there and thought, this is it for me. I made some incredible friends, but I just remember I’ve never wanted to be, I guess, part of oh, you know, I’ve always been the one to stand up and be like, you know, that’s not okay. From being a young child my parents would always be like, Oh, she’ll do what she wants to do. And I think growing up, that was maybe in a negative sense. And now I’m a bit like, that’s a great Individual. And so I think L’Oreal for me at the time, was like, I really appreciate it having that experience in the corporate world. But yeah, I, I never really thought this is it for me. I always wanted a bit more individuality. I think that they try and mould you into a type of person. [00:09:06]
FD: [00:09:07] And did you at that time, did you always know what you wanted to pivot to work on your own or was it a question of starting to realize what you didn’t want in life and to start and actually move closer towards what you did want? It sounds like trying lots of different avenues and areas and potentially also being a really good people person to be able to go out there and speak to others. Stay curious, in fact. [00:09:36]
FH: [00:09:37] Yeah I think that’s it really. I think I’ve always stayed curious. I’ve always kind of had a thing inside me that I wanted to. Life is about learning, regardless of what age you are. And you know, you can always learn from a different point of view and perspective. And I think at the time I didn’t want to. I appreciated being there. [00:10:14]
FD: [00:13:22] And it’s a testament to you. Fashion and clothes provide that perfect barrier between the real self and the rest of the world. And and a lot of people use that to dress up or mask or you know, take on and embody another type of person. So, you know, as a DJ and also as a fashion stylist and as somebody that attends London Fashion Week and fashion shows around the world and very intrinsic within industry, it’s really interesting to see and hear you talk about authenticity. But I wondered how often that has been challenged for you, where you know your authenticity. You’ve had to look sort of twice yourself in the mirror and think I’m falling quite far away from my core values here. I need to sort myself out and check in. [00:14:22]
FH: [00:14:25] Clothing for me has never been a mask. It’s been an expression of my personality. So I’ve never really had that. And I think again, it’s always, been about being an individual from a young age. And I think that stems from my parents being quite entrepreneurial when they were younger. So you’re rather than creating a performance, you’re kind of almost lifting the spirit so you can catch almost their vibe. And it’s, I mean, it’s more often than not you’re trying to calm them down because they are feeling a bit scared, you know, in front of cameras and whatnot. So yeah, I think it’s just been fortunate enough to be okay. And I think the only time I’ve really checked in with myself is when I’m burning the candle at both ends. So, you know, when I’m working in the daytime or on projects and photoshoots and then DJing in the evening, I have to articulate it is interesting, I think because I’ve had done the corporate lifestyle and I’ve always still got at the back of my mind that kind of you should be working in the daytime and you should be doing this. And I have to understand that the world is changing and it’s not always like that. And to me, that’s not the job I’ve got. You know, my hours so vary. So I should be allowed to take off time during the week. And so it’s, it’s a bit of a hustle but it’s yeah definitely more rest helps everyone. [00:16:14]
FD: [00:19:24] Signs of a true entrepreneur. Fabienne. Without a doubt. So obviously, you live a very busy full life. Do you have any non-negotiable activities which help to ground you when you’re feeling stressed? [00:19:39]
FH: [00:19:40] Exercise is 100% for my mental health. You know, at the beginning of the year, when I couldn’t exercise because I was having a bit of a slow recovery from COVID, I was like, What can I do? So meditation, and even if it’s like 5 minutes, at the end of the day, like last night was super, super busy. And I came in and it’s 5 minutes before bedtime just to kind of reset your system. Yeah, I think exercise on a daily meditation daily. I also do this when I get out of the shower, with affirmations and tapping. So for affirmations do five things you are grateful for, five things that you love. And then you know, 2 minutes exercise where you project positivity out into the world, do a quick manifestation, and then you just your do affirmations like I am, I’m strong, just things you want to say for the day. [00:21:14]
