The Latest Appointments at Fairmont Hotels, DeLaneau, Porsche Design, Escada, Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts, Burberry and Leonard
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The Latest Appointments, Jimmy Choo, PPR & Boucheron
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Over the last decade, collaborations between luxury brands and contemporary artists have gone beyond mere artistic partnerships towards a new kind of luxury branding.
PARIS – Art and fashion have always developed side by side, for fashion, like art, often gives visual expression to the cultural zeitgeist. During the 1920s, Salvador Dalí created dresses for Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiapparelli. In the 1930s, Ferragamo’s shoes commissioned designs for advertisements from Futurist painter Lucio Venna, while Gianni Versace commissioned works from artists such as Alighiero Boetti and Roy Lichtenstein for the launch of his collections. Yves Saint Laurent’s vast art collection, recently auctioned at Christie’s in Paris, testified to his great love of art and revealed the influence of a variety of artists on his own designs.
In the 1980s, relationships between luxury brands and artists were advanced when Alain Dominique Perrin created the Fondation Cartier. In the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain, a book marking the foundation’s 20th anniversary, Perrin says he makes “a connection between all the different sorts of arts, and luxury goods are a kind of art. Luxury goods are handicrafts of art, applied art.”
The Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemparain building in Paris
The Latest Appointments at Fairmont Hotels, DeLaneau, Porsche Design, Escada, Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts, Burberry and Leonard
The Latest Appointments at Fairmont Hotels, DeLaneau, Porsche Design, Escada, Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts, Burberry and Leonard.
This month it was two shock departures that stole the limelight from most news regarding appointees. Early last week it was announced that Jimmy Choo is set to lose Tamara Mellon, Founder and Chief Creative Officer and Joshua Schulman, Chief Executive Officer, effective this month and early 2012 respectively. The announcement comes just six-months after the sale of Jimmy Choo to the reclusive Reimann family, through their small – but growing – luxury conglomerate Labelux. Yet little is known officially as to whether or not new ownership is the reason for the split.
Neither Ms. Mellon nor Mr. Schulman have any financial interests in Jimmy Choo, therefore this exit marks a complete severing of ties with the company. Design direction for the brand will continue under the creative directors, Sandra Choi and Simon Holloway, who have been with the brand since 1996 and 2010 respectively. Rumours suggest that Ms. Mellon will go forward and craft her own lifestyle brand – a la Tom Ford – yet no such intentions have been confirmed by Ms. Mellon herself.
Across at Louis Vuitton, head of China operations, Christopher Zanardi-Landi, is also said to be leaving his post according to WWD. He has spent four years as the president of Vuitton’s China business, after joining as general manager in 2003, after posts at Fendi, Lanvin, Cartier and Alfred Dunhill. At the time of press, the brand’s public relations offices in both China and Paris declined to comment to WWD, and the news remains unconfirmed.
Senior Appointments, Communication Department, PPR
PPR has reorganised its Communication Department, to reflect the new communication needs of the conglomerate as it moves to focus exclusively on Luxury and Sport & Lifestyle. Charlotte Judet has been named director of corporate information, Paola Milani has been appointed director of the corporate brand and Nikolas Talonpoika the director of media. All will report to Louise Beveridge, SVP communication, who was appointed in late 2010.
Source: 4-Traders
Louis de Meckenheim, Marketing Director, Boucheron
Louis de Meckenheim has been named marketing director of Boucheron, following this year’s appointment of Claire Choisne as director of creation and Pierre Bouissou as CEO. Most recently Mr. de Meckenheim served as director of marketing for watches at neighbouring Place Vendôme jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels.
Source: WWD
David Gouten, CEO, DeLaneau
Known in the watch industry as Mr. David Gouten, David Goutenmacher, has been appointed chief executive offer of DeLaneau, to develop the growth of the bran worldwide. Mr. Gouten most recently served as Vice President of Sales at Harry Winston for ten years.
Source: World Tempus
Jürg Siegenthaler, VP Marketing & Sales, Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts
Jürg Siegenthaler has most recently served as SVP sales and marketing at Kempinski Hotels & Resorts. Mr. Siegenthaler has now been as VP marketing & sales at Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts, following the departure of Petra Götting.
Source: Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts
Steve Sacks, SVP Customer Insight, Burberry
In a newly created role for Burberry, Steve Sacks has been appointed SVP customer insight, following tenure at Lloyds Banking Group as director of customer strategy and insight. Burberry has also promoted former chief information officer John Douglas into the role of chief technology officer, where he will now report to CEO Angela Ahrendts.
Source: Drapers
Thomas Steinbrueck, Creative Director, Porsche Design
Thomas Steinbrueck has been named as Porsche Design Group’s first-ever creative director and coordinator for customer experiences. Most recently Mr. Steinbrueck served as vice president of collections at Elie Saab, following tenure as president of merchandising at Kenneth Cole, New York.
Source: Porsche Design Group
Maxime Simoens, Creative Director, Leonard
Designer Maxime Simoens has been appointed creative director of Leonard, following the departure of Véronique Leroy, who held the position for eight years. Mr. Simoens is to present his first collection for Leonard in March 2012.
Source: WWD
Susanne Schaefer, Brand Director, Escada Sport
Escada has announced Susanne Schaefer as its new brand director for Escada Sport, effective April 2012. Ms. Schaefer most recently worked with Strenesse AG, where she was overseeing product management and sourcing for the Strenesse Blue line. She succeeds Ilka Bennewitz, who has been brand director and head of licenses to date.
Source: Fashion United
Jennifer Fox, President, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Jennifer Fox has been appointed president of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, succeeding Chris Cahill, who will now focus on his duties as chief operating officer, Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, Fairmont’s parent company. Ms. Fox joins Fairmont from InterContinental Hotels Group, where she most recently served as chief operating officer, managed operations, Continental Europe.
Source: Market Watch
Alexandre de Juniac, CEO & Chairman, Air France
Former civil servant in the French finance ministry and former Thales executive, Alexandre de Juniac, has been appointed CEO & chairman of Air France, following approval from the board. He succeeds Jean-Cyril Spinetta, who held the position temporarily from 17 October.
Source: Flightglobal
For more in the series of The Latest Appointments, please see our most recent editions as follows:
– The Latest Appointments, Cerruti, Berluti & Parmigiani
– The Latest Appointments, Ruinart, Sotheby’s & Ralph Lauren
– The Latest Appointments, Sofitel, Halston & Louis Vuitton
Creative Strategist, Digital
Sophie Doran is currently Senior Creative Strategist, Digital at Karla Otto. Prior to this role, she was the Paris-based editor-in-chief of Luxury Society. Prior to joining Luxury Society, Sophie completed her MBA in Melbourne, Australia, with a focus on luxury brand dynamics and leadership, whilst simultaneously working in management roles for several luxury retailers.
