Learn about the academic and professional background of Luca Fixy, an alumnus of the École de Management de la Sorbonne (EMS), in five questions and answers.
1. What is your educational background?
I enrolled at Paris 1 in 2013. I started with two years in the economics bachelor’s program before transferring to the EMS in my third year, where I earned a bachelor’s degree in management. At the same time, I completed the coursework required to earn a certificate in sociology (editor’s note: which is equivalent to a university diploma). After completing my bachelor’s degree, to fulfill the requirements for graduation, I did an internship as a junior digital project manager at Mazarine Digital, a leading Parisian digital creative agency in the fashion and luxury sectors. My responsibilities there included managing websites, digital campaigns, newsletters, and more, as well as working on various concepts in development. This internship allowed me to discover the norms and practices of this professional environment, as well as to see how creative and technological projects come together. It was therefore a very enriching internship. Alongside my studies, I had already been modeling for a few years. I have been represented by the Success Models agency for several years now. It was therefore a rather extraordinary opportunity to be able to continue my studies while also familiarizing myself with the fashion industry, which is a very dynamic, quite demanding, and also very international environment. Balancing the two was fun.
I also joined the student business association, Sorbonne Junior Conseil, around that same time. It’s a professional development organization that allows university students to take on projects for professional clients. I was part of the quality assurance team, and I also worked on a few projects as a consultant for some clients. It made sense for me to join this organization because I already had an entrepreneurial spirit at that time. I stayed there for two years.
Then, during my first year of my master’s program, I received the BNP Paribas scholarship after presenting an innovative project in response to a call for proposals launched by the Office for Professional Integration. I then joined the company on a work-study program as an IT analyst during my second year of my master’s degree.
In 2018, I graduated at the top of my class from the new Master’s in Information and Knowledge Systems, specializing in big data, which is directed by Selmin Nurcan.
Basically,I completed my entire academic career at Paris 1.
2. What memories do you have of college?
I still remember one of my first lectures at EMS, the one given by Alexandre Steyer, a professor of data science and marketing. He talked about the university’s origins and the ambition of its founder, Robert de Sorbon, to admit students from modest backgrounds in the 13th century. I thought that was quite emblematic of what the institution that is Paris 1 represents. In our class, we had truly diverse backgrounds, and I think that’s a richness you don’t necessarily find everywhere else. Another memory that is dear to me is from the Junior-Entreprise. I had suggested to the club members that we go to Palermo for our orientation weekend (since I have family there). It was a real pleasure to introduce them to such an extraordinary place and share it with my classmates. Otherwise, more generally, I have fond memories of the classes, especially those taught by Jean-Marc Lehu and other business professors, who were truly engaging. The teaching was of very high quality, and the atmosphere in the lecture halls was truly exhilarating. I wonder how the classes adapted during the Covid period and have evolved since then…
3. You’ve started your own company. Could you tell us a little about it?
I co-founded Socle in 2019. It’s a 3D studio that provides creative and technological services to fashion and luxury brands, museums, artists, and more. We specialize in visual design, 3D scanning, and 3D computer graphics. In the early years, we went through Station F, then LINCC, the incubator for cultural and creative industries; those years helped us define who we were and better establish Socle’s DNA. Our team consists of five people, and we’re based in Pantin.
To elaborate a bit on 3D scanning, it’s a mobile service: we use photogrammetry and laser scanning, then combine the two. This allows us to transform objects or spaces into 3D models. We’re equipped to capture the highest level of detail and provide high-quality, optimized digital assets. We also offer augmented reality and virtual reality experiences, as well as interactive applications built on Unreal Engine, among other platforms. In addition, we create renderings, visual designs, images, and videos for marketing campaigns.
What sets us apart is that, for us, every project is a delicate blend of expertise and technology, all in the service of a unique creative vision. It’s all about finding the right tools—especially in 3D—to meet a specific need and creative challenge. We generally work with agencies to fulfill briefs as a service provider; in fact, it was fun to return to Mazarine a few years later as a service provider.
To give you a more concrete idea of what we do, I invite you to try out the interactive experience we created for the Guimet Museum, Guimet Virtuel. It’s a virtual exhibition on Chinese porcelain. And you can also follow us on Instagram.
4. Did your experience as a student at Paris 1 influence your decision to become an entrepreneur?
I consider myself a fairly curious person with a knack for self-learning. When I was younger, I used to go regularly to La Gaité Lyrique and Numa, which are venues that host lectures (Numa has since closed). I was quite interested in seeing entrepreneurs pitch their projects or explain their concepts and ideas. These venues were among the places I went to find inspiration. I also took courses on Open Classroom. But of course, I was doing that alongside all the experiences we’ve discussed: my classes at Paris 1, the Junior Enterprise… I also participated in hackathons, notably one hosted by Deezer, where Microsoft and Louis Vuitton asked participants to propose a project to them over the course of a weekend. Our team came in second. It’s something I actively pursue—taking part in one-off, fairly specialized, participatory events. In fact, I’m an ambassador for the Creative Machines collective, which organizes AI jams in Rennes and invites professionals and students to produce animation projects in a short timeframe to test generative AI technologies.
This is exactly the kind of challenge I wanted to take on regularly during my studies. It provides a stimulating work environment where you meet new people around specific topics. It’s also a great way to find your footing, test ideas, and build your network.
As for Socle, I’d say the studio’s project really emerged from discussions with my partner and co-founder Victor Guénard. We’ve pivoted since then, but our values and our purpose remain largely the same.
I clearly gained theoretical knowledge thanks to EMS—the fundamentals of design, marketing courses, studying organizations, information systems… It gave me a broad perspective on how to run a business. Also, my work-study program at BNP quickly helped me realize what I aspire to professionally. These experiences helped me find my footing and better understand where I stand. That said, I’ve still learned a lot in hindsight, and the project isn’t exactly the same one I started with. So I’d say my entrepreneurial spirit has been there for a long time, but my experiences have given me the tools to bring those ideas to life.
5. And finally, a more personal question: What book has made an impression on you lately?
This is a book I discovered during the COVID-19 pandemic and one I continue to revisit regularly. It is Conversations by Hans Ulrich Obrist, published by Manuela Éditions. This collection takes the form of an encyclopedia of interviews: 79 conversations conducted between 1990 and 2007 with a wide variety of individuals. We meet architects, artists, writers, musicians, philosophers, photographers, designers, scientists, filmmakers… The book paints a vivid landscape of life paths, ideas, projects (realized or not), facts, and stories. I find its eclecticism particularly inspiring. It also reflects my own way of approaching things—through a cross-disciplinary lens—which Hans Ulrich Obrist embodies so well through his encounters. He quotes Édouard Glissant, among other notable figures. This collection opens the mind to a multitude of cultural references from the 20th and 21st centuries. It is a truly fascinating read for anyone with a broad and open curiosity.
Thank you Luca for taking the time to answer this Alumni Q&A!
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