BETC Launches Maison BETC, a Global Micro-Network for Luxury Brands
Parisian agency BETC has unveiled Maison BETC, a new global micro-network dedicated to luxury, fashion, and beauty brands. With a team of over 120 creatives and strategists based in Paris, New York and Shanghai, the launch is a focused response to the shifting dynamics of the global luxury market.
Maison BETC brings together renowned figures from across the BETC network, including Clément Boisseau (chairman), Florent Imbert (chief creative officer, BETC New York), Florence Bellisson (chief creative officer, BETC Paris), Marine Hakim (VP, BETC Paris), and Olivier Vigneaux (CEO, BETC Fullsix). With clients such as L'Oréal Luxe and Beam Suntory already on board, Maison BETC focuses on tailored, collaborative brand building rooted in cultural insight and creative craft.
Clément and Florent met via Stéphane Xiberras, the president and CCO of BETC. Florent has been living in the US for 15 years and is an American citizen, while Clément moved to the country three years ago and travels between it and Paris. Upon meeting, they realised they shared the same vision and had the same desires for the agency. “So, the magic happened!” says Clément, speaking with LBB. “In an industry made of people, chemistry is key.
“The launch of Maison BETC in New York stemmed from our ambition to bring the knowledge, expertise, and refined sense of craft in luxury developed in Paris to the US market, at the intersection of strategic precision and creative disruption,” adds Clément, about the initial launch of the agency in the US. “Our goal was twofold: to better support our French luxury clients in strengthening their narratives stateside, and to offer American luxury brands fresh, elevated approaches to iconise their image and accelerate their global expansion.”
Maison BETC is designed as a strategic response to the challenges shaping luxury today. The agency points to emerging trends such as the rise of consumer influence, innovation-driven purchasing behaviour in China, and a shift toward experiential over material value. Research cited by BETC notes that 90% of Chinese consumers are willing to pay a premium for innovation, while younger generations increasingly prioritise wellness, sustainability, and personalisation.
Launching an agency like Maison BETC in New York was a perfect home due to the intersection in which it sits between global influence, cultural innovation, and creative energy. “It’s a city where fashion, luxury, and lifestyle converge with business, media, and technology, offering the ideal environment to push boundaries and reinvent how brands connect with audiences,” says Clément, who previously served as global chief strategy officer at BETC and was a member of the Cannes Lions 2025 Luxury Jury. “For a Paris-born agency rooted in craftsmanship and strategic excellence, New York provides the perfect counterbalance: fast-paced, culturally diverse, and endlessly inspiring. It allows us to bridge European refinement with American boldness, and to shape ideas that resonate both locally and globally.”
BETC has a long history in luxury. The agency has been working for Lacoste for 20 years and has been the creative agency for Van Cleef & Arpels for over a decade. It is also the creative force behind every fragrance franchise within YSL Beauty, as well as its beauty categories and social media.
“We connect American culture with French craftsmanship through talent,” says Florent, CCO. “While we have exceptional creatives based here in New York, we also tap into the strength of our Paris team, bringing strategists and creatives over when it makes sense. In our industry, talent is everything. This cross-pollination of expertise, culture, and perspective is what fuels our work and sharpens our edge in the US market.
“Maison BETC New York benefits from the shared tools, methodologies, and frameworks of our global network,” he adds. “Depending on the nature of the assignment, we can tap into creative talent from our Paris and Shanghai offices, and vice versa. It’s a small, close-knit network, which is a strength: people know each other, collaborate easily, and build a true sense of belonging and trust.”
A recent manifestation of this is the global campaign for Japanese whisky Hibiki. “It’s a perfect embodiment of the Maison BETC approach,” says Clément. “To bring it to life, we connected our three offices across Paris, New York, and Shanghai to build a strategic platform rooted in a deep understanding of Hibiki’s three core markets.
“Creatively, it’s one of the strongest examples of what makes Maison BETC unique: our ability to bridge the refined sense of European craft with a nuanced understanding of both the American and Asian cultural landscapes. It’s not just a campaign; it’s a statement of who we are and how we work across borders, disciplines, and sensibilities.”
Since its launch late last year, the Maison BETC New York team has also been running an event series called ‘Maison Salon’, which they say allows them to better collaborate with clients. “We are lucky to be in a penthouse with Parisian vibes in the heart of SoHo, where we can welcome and work with our partners, clients, and friends,” says Florent. “By definition, a house is a place where doors open, people come and visit, things are cooked, and discussions happen.” So, they decided to turn their main space into a ‘salon’ where they can discuss what’s happening in their sector and what the dynamics and trends are that affect the world. “Because we believe it is essential that brands stay in sync with society's evolution and new trends,” he adds.
The first event was about youth and creativity in collaboration with the publication ‘Kidz’, a book published by a BETC Paris creative that acts as an annual curation of the world’s best creatives under 30. The second was about sharing the latest trends in the world of fragrances. Guests included Veronique Gabai, former president of Estée Lauder Fragrances, who launched her own brand a few years ago. The most recent was on the future of beauty. They unveiled the results of a worldwide quantitative research that the agency conducted and held a conversation with clients – Maude Brunschwi, global president of iT Cosmetics, and Yann Joffredo, president of US Luxury American Brands at L’Oréal, both joined. The next will feature Rémi Babinet, co-founder and the ‘B’ in BETC, for the American launch of his book, ‘No Ads Please’.
“The launch of Maison BETC is a sign of our vitality and what we believe in: the ability to take our creative expertise around the world, our obsession with making luxury, fashion and beauty brand communication ever more transformative, and the promotion of our internal talent,” says Bertille Toledano, president of the BETC group.
The new network also coincides with a rebrand of BETC’s luxury unit BETC Etoile Rouge, which now becomes Maison BETC Paris, aligning with the new international structure and reinforcing BETC’s identity within the luxury space.
"This launch is an opportunity to continue writing the great stories of creativity and expertise that Maison BETC Paris has been writing for several years," said Mercedes Erra, founder of BETC. "By opening three 'maisons' within BETC, we are emphasising our approach: strategic precision and rigorous execution, in a spirit of partnership and constant dialogue with our clients."
Clément and Florent believe that while some speak of a “luxury fatigue” around the world, they think it’s at a “turning point”: brands must stay true to their core DNA while simultaneously reinventing their language and experiences to entice, surprise and delight. “Yes, the market is slowing down; yes, economic uncertainty weighs on customers,” says Florent. “However, luxury, in our opinion, is still essential to people because it inspires them. Yet, there may be fatigue with luxury brands replicating the same recipe (collabs, red carpets, etc.) to communicate with their audiences.”
“I have very high ambitions,” adds Clément, “for what Maison BETC can imagine and craft for our clients in this new world.”
“I feel tluly happy to take the reins of this new micro-network, with some of our industry’s finest talent at my side,” said Clément, who previously served as global chief strategy officer at BETC and was a member of the Cannes Lions 2025 Luxury Jury. “Luxury is at a turning point: brands must stay true to their core DNA while simultaneously reinventing their language and experiences to entice, surprise and delight. I have very high ambitions for what Maison BETC can imagine and craft for our clients in this new world.”
Maison BETC is designed as a strategic response to the challenges shaping luxury today. The agency points to emerging trends such as the rise of consumer influence, innovation-driven purchasing behaviour in China, and a shift toward experiential over material value. Research cited by BETC notes that 90% of Chinese consumers are willing to pay a premium for innovation, while younger generations increasingly prioritise wellness, sustainability, and personalisation.
“The launch of Maison BETC is a sign of our vitality and what we believe in: the ability to take our creative expertise around the world, our obsession with making luxury, fashion and beauty brand communication ever more transformative, and the promotion of our internal talent,” said Bertille Toledano, president of the BETC group.
The new network also coincides with a rebrand of BETC’s luxury unit BETC Etoile Rouge, which now becomes Maison BETC Paris, aligning with the new international structure and reinforcing BETC’s identity within the luxury space.
"This launch is an opportunity to continue writing the great stories of creativity and expertise that Maison BETC Paris has been writing for several years," said Mercedes Erra, founder of BETC. "By opening three 'maisons' within BETC, we are emphasising our approach: strategic precision and rigorous execution, in a spirit of partnership and constant dialogue with our clients."
