Guillaume Salmon, Diversifying Cultures with Tact

Guillaume Salmon was one of  the core member of  Colette – art, fashion and culture concept store in Paris (1997-2017) – in charged of public relations and communications activities. Salmon was with the team for about 18 years until its grand finale in 2017, produced numerous events, countless collaborations crossing over genres and cultures. After Colette’s closing, Guillaume founded consulting agency Tact, working with various clients in various fields: Fashion brand – OAMC, Carhartt, Soeur, DCNTD, Uncivil Bliss; Beauty & Fragrance – Byredo; Watch – Hegid; Art Gallery – La Cité; Media – Dysturb; Football Club – Paris Saint-Germain F.C. to name a few. 

 “Influence I’m referring to is ‘Key Opinion Leader’ and creative people who do things.”

How did you join Colette? 
(Guillaume Salmon) I joined Colette in October 1999, first as a waiter for the party they did with Yves Saint Laurent at Opera Garnier, then as a part-time shop assistant until May 2002. Then I was responsible for PR for 15 years until closing in December 2017. 

Colette was very symbolic place for fashion, art and creativity in Paris, even globally. What was one of the most memorable moments?
(GS) It’s always very difficult to answer to this kind of question and I’m pretty sure it’s the same feeling for the most of people who worked there. We did so many things all the time. It was crazy! I would say it was the Culture Club event in October 2002. We privatized a Thalys (French-Belgian high-speed train) to go until Gent in Belgium full of Parisians from Paris. In each coach of the train, there was an iPod DJ (It was the beginning of the iPod era) and an open bar. We arrived in Gent and then partied all night at the Culture Club with musicians like The Raptures and Two Many DJs. Everybody was exhausted on the train back to Paris. (Laugh)

Please tell about your new agency Tact. What are you focusing on? 
(GS) It’s more of a consulting company than just a PR agency. I work with various clients – OAMC, Carhartt, Soeur, DCNTD, Uncivil, Byredo, Hegid, La Cité, Dysturb and PSG to name a few – on their strategy, development, retail networks, PR of course and Influence – Influence I’m referring to is ‘Key Opinion Leader’ and creative people who do things. Not an ‘Influencer’, the term being used these days.

“I’m a fan of the club since 1986. Now I work with them on different areas that I always loved: fashion, street culture, art, music… It’s like a dream job.”

Paris Saint-Germain F. C. has been showing great lifestyle projects. Please explain the process of collaborations.
(GS) Since 2011- with Qatar Sports Investments – the main goal was to develop the PSG not only as a football team but also as a global brand. Fabien Allegre, who is in charge of the brand diversification of PSG started to do many collaborations with different kind of brands to develop different fields of expressions for PSG. Then when we decide to do a collaboration – I guess every single brand in the world would think this – Do we like the brand? What can we do with this brand? Is it going to add something new? et cetera.

What was the most exciting moment while working with PSG?
(GS) Collaborating with PSG is a great experience. First, as you probably don’t know, I’m a fan of the club since 1986 and I’m now able to work with them on different areas that I always loved: fashion, street culture, art, music… It’s like a dream job.

And most difficult issue working with one of the best football teams? 
(GS) Maybe the fact that everybody in everywhere has an opinion about it?… (Laugh)

What are you interested in these days?
(GS) I have many different kinds of interest as I still work with different kinds of clients in various cultures. But! there is always a but, I have to say turning more than 40 years old, now I’m more and more drawn to senses surrounding us and sustainability. What can I do to help? What can I do for the future of our next generations? What can I do for the planet?