Lancôme Global Brand President Françoise Lehmann, who began steering Lancôme in June 2013, is stepping down. She will be succeeded by Vania Lacascade, who is currently L’Oréal Chief Innovation Officer at the conglomerate’s research and innovation wing.
Lancôme Global Brand President Françoise Lehmann Steps Down
“I lead global innovation strategy, drawing on 20+ years of experience across LVMH and L’Oréal, a PhD in Pharmacy, and a degree from ESSECBusiness School,” per Vania Lacascade’s linkedIn profile. “I’ve transformed the Innovation Department, attracting top marketing and CMI talent and building a more agile, globally integrated, and consumer-centric organizational structure. My focus includes anticipating evolving beauty needs across diverse geographies, fostering a dynamic innovation pipeline, and cultivating a holistic vision of beauty—from core categories (skin, body, hair, makeup, fragrance) to emerging frontiers like augmented beauty, longevity, and sustainable solutions.”
L’Oréal said in a statement that Françoise Lehmann’s “sharp strategic vision, her pragmatic approach, her unwavering energy, her culture of proactive innovation in the service of women and her ability to lead teams have propelled Lancôme to the rank of the world’s leading luxury brand.”
This leadership transition has come at a critical juncture for Lancôme as the luxury brand balances its rich heritage and a drive for innovation within a competitive luxury beauty industry. The appointment of Lacascade underscores L’Oréal’s commitment to strengthening Lancôme’s innovation strategies, particularly in skincare, by drawing on her track record in brand transformation. Amid shifting consumer expectations and increasing competition from both established prestige brands and emerging indie players, Lancôme’s new leadership hopes to strengthen its global position and sustain growth across product categories and markets.
Françoise Lehmann’s tenure at Lancôme
During her tenure, Françoise Lehmann has been instrumental in redefining Lancôme’s positioning in the luxury skincare and cosmetics market by emphasizing innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability. Lehmann’s leadership has driven the luxury beauty brand’s digital transformation, leveraging new technologies and social media to connect with a younger, diverse audience while maintaining its heritage. Her commitment to empowering women and celebrating individuality is illustrated in Lancôme’s marketing campaigns, product development, and corporate initiatives.
Under Françoise Lehmann’s guidance, Lancôme expanded its global footprint, strengthening its presence in emerging markets and established regions. She prioritised collaborations with influential personalities and artists to elevate the beauty brand’s visibility and relevance. This includes signing Olivia Rodrigo and Nico Parker as Lancôme global brand ambassador. Lehmann also fostered a culture of innovation within Lancôme, encouraging creative excellence and a focus on high-quality, effective products. Among the launches were the Absolue Longevity Cream and Idôle, a fragrance launched in 2019. The brand also partnered with fashion labels on makeup — with the likes of Proenza Schouler and Sonia Rykiel.
Three years back, Lancôme inaugurated its rose domain in Grasse, which is farmed with ecological horticultural methods. Lehmann signed on Olivia Rodrigo and Nico Parker as Lancôme global brand ambassador. She also led Lancôme’s first sustainability program, introduced in 2021 and named “Caring Together for a Happier Tomorrow.” The program developed by Lancôme aims at protecting biodiversity; empowering consumers to make sustainable consumption choices thanks to products that are refillable, rechargeable and recyclable; and providing women with access to education, mentoring, and entrepreneurship.
About Lancôme
French luxury beauty brand Lancôme, founded by Armand Petitjean in 1935, is recognised for its skincare, makeup, and fragrance. Created 90 years ago, Lancôme is dedicated to all women in their uniqueness with a mission to empower them to feel more beautiful through their happiness.
Being one of the first luxury beauty brands on the market, Lancôme is deeply committed to scientific innovation, particularly in the field of green sciences, and leverages Beauty Tech as its edge. Lancôme is accelerating its transformation while focusing on its core values: generosity, transmission, authenticity, excellence. By harnessing the power of data, Lancôme tailors its products to meet the unique needs of each customer.Lancôme’s commitment to innovation is exemplified by HAPTA, the world’s first motion-stabilising makeup applicator. Launched in September 2025, HAPTA aims to make makeup application accessible and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of their physical abilities.
The luxury brand offers innovative skincare, both at the cutting edge of science and respectful of the environment, as exemplified by its Advanced Génifique augmented by microbiome science. With its “Caring Together for a Happier Tomorrow ” sustainability program, Lancôme is tackling today’s most pressing environmental and societal challenges to help build a happier and more sustainable future.
As part of its commitment towards fragrance heritage and savoir-faire, Lancôme acquired the Domaine de la Rose in Grasse, the birthplace of modern perfumery, in 2020, and renovated this estate. The Domaine de la Rose is dedicated to the preservation, celebration, and transmission of natural and cultural savoir-faire of perfumery, while helping to promote Grasse’s savoir-faire, classified as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.
Fueled by innovation, Lancôme offers beauty experiences through pioneering skincare, (cutting-edge) beauty-tech, makeup, and fragrances. Our ultra-premium Absolue range pushes the boundaries of high-performance luxury. In Grasse, the cradle of perfumery, their Domaine de la Rose embodies the company’s commitment to fragrance savoir-faire and biodiversity: it is their unique sense of place. As part of the L’Oréal Group today, Lancôme has established a reputation for combining scientific innovation with elegant design, catering to a clientele seeking premium quality and effective beauty solutions.
Jasmeen Dugal is Associate Editor at FashionABC, contributing her insights on fashion, technology, and sustainability. She brings with herself more than two decades of editorial experience, working for national newspapers and luxury magazines in India.
Jasmeen Dugal has worked with exchange4media as a senior writer contributing articles on the country’s advertising and marketing movements, and then with Condenast India as Net Editor where she helmed Vogue India’s official website in terms of design, layout and daily content. Besides this, she is also an entrepreneur running her own luxury portal, Explosivefashion, which highlights the latest in luxury fashion and hospitality.
