Interview with Cynthia Desrochers

1- Who are you and what do you do?

What a beautiful and profound question! I’m a bisexual millennial cis gender pescatarian woman living with my girlfriend and my French bulldog Arthur in the beautiful city of Montreal. I have more than 14 years of experience in the beauty industry, and I’m lucky to be able to do what I love: create, inspire, lead, mentor & debate ideas (ENTP–if you know, you know!) I’m in love with cities I’ve never been to and people I’ve never met. The world around me inspires me to create and innovate.

2- How long have you been working at DESIGNME?

I joined this amazing brand 2 years ago. Having worked at large corporations, DESIGNME has become my paradise island, my fresh cup of water in the morning, and the best playground I’ve ever had the chance to play on. DESIGNME is an independent start-up hair care and hair styling brand based and fabricated in Montreal; everything is PETA certified, vegan, sulfate-free, gluten-free, and paraben free.

3- What does a day in the life of Cynthia, marketing director look like?

I’m fortunate to have seen our marketing department grow from a team of 2 to a team of 10 since starting at DESIGNME. A day in my life typically involves working with our incredible team to support and oversee an array of things, from digital marketing to art direction. For example, I might start my day by reviewing sales numbers and strategy with Alexandra, our fabulous Digital Manager, followed by reviewing packaging and campaign imagery with Tracy, our talented Creative Manager.

I might then jump into an executive meeting with our amazing CEO and Co-Founder Safir and Maya our Fierce Sales Director to discuss our 2023 marketing plan, discuss our trade marketing plan with our amazing Marketing Coordinator Sara and then finish my day working on a paid collaboration with the refreshing Alexis, our Social Media Coordinator. I wear many hats, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!

4- Can you share a bit of the reasons why you wanted to be part of lstw 10th anniversary?

Being a part of the LSTW 10th anniversary is important both personally and professionally. Many members of our team at DESIGNME identify as LGBTQ+ and we are all incredibly passionate about human rights and inclusivity, so it’s important for us to support an outlet that truly aligns with who we are as a brand. After all, DESIGNME means to design the best version of yourself: whoever you are.

5- The DESIGNME product you would bring on a deserted island and why? (ok maybe 2)

Such a tough choice! I love our new Puff.ME volumizing mousse, it’s the perfect item for all types of hair, and it contains UV and heat protection. I also love the smell of the Puff.ME collection: cherry, almond and tonka beans. My second pick would have to be our new Fab.ME blonde purple shampoo! This one was definitely a labor of love. DESIGNME Co-Founder Amy & I worked for over a year and a half to develop it! I can confidently say that it’s a purple shampoo like none other. It removes yellow tones in blonde, gray and white hair and it fortifies the hair with vegan hyaluronic acid.

6- Being inclusive as a brand has a lot different meanings in 2022 – what does it mean for you? For DESIGNME?

Personally, inclusivity means ensuring everyone is seen, heard and understood. As a team leader here at DESIGNME it’s important these values are reflected at every level–from campaign slogans to captions on social media. Being inclusive also means creating a workspace where people feel comfortable sharing openly who they are, what they love, who they love and what they think.

At DESIGNME, we talk about our menstruations, politics, restaurants we love, activities we do, emotions we go through – being inclusive is not just a word or posting colorful images on social media; being inclusive starts at the company’s culture and practices.

7- Anything you are looking forward to this year?

As a human, I’m always looking forward to cultivating more peace, love and compassion for others. As a brand leader, I’m looking forward to a year full of creativity, fun and growth!