The Improbable Seminar

Led by Professor Sylvain Bureau, Scientific Director of the Improbable Chair by Galeries Lafayette

November 11, 2025

We proudly concluded "The Improbable Seminar Vernissage," with an extraordinary evening that challenged conventional views on beauty, wellness, and the very concept of self. Through the innovative lens of Art Thinking, students from FIT’s Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing and Management MPS program unveiled captivating installations that critically examined the moral, societal, and cultural forces currently shaping the beauty and health industries. This unique event was the culmination of an intensive workshop, where students experienced a condensed version of the Improbable Seminar.

This seminar has been implemented in 18 countries and across multiple universities, including Stanford, Paris College of Art, ESCP Business School, and Bern University of Applied Science. It challenges conventional notions of beauty by addressing 21st-century issues such as sustainability, artificial intelligence, and geopolitics. Using Art Thinking—an agile method for creating the improbable with certainty—students explore creative practices to design unexpected perspectives.

The event was organized by:

  • Caterina Burzio (CFMM '20) and Jamie Lynn O’Brien (CFMM '22), Assistant Vice Presidents of Marketing at L'Oréal and FIT adjunct professors
  • Professor Sylvain Bureau, Scientific Director of the Improbable Chair by Galeries Lafayette
  • Émile Kirsch, visual artist and regular collaborator with Hermès petit h

Photos by Isabella Picicci

an empty black and white striped garment laid out on a table
two women apply a liquid to a mannequin hand
attendees discuss posters laid out on a table