The Latest Appointments at Louis Vuitton, W Hotels, Maxime Simoens, Boucheron, Sowind Group, Debenhams, Azzaro and Sotheby’s
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The Latest Appointments, Ruinart, Sotheby’s & Ralph Lauren
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Credit: This is the featured image credit
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 Louis Vuitton, W Hotels, Maxime Simoens, Boucheron, Sowind Group, Debenhams, Azzaro and Sotheby’s
The Latest Appointments at Louis Vuitton, W Hotels, Maxime Simoens, Boucheron, Sowind Group, Debenhams, Azzaro and Sotheby’s.
It’s difficult to believe that John Galliano’s dramatic exit from Dior has remained a talking point in the fashion world for over six months. But as Fall Winter 2012 sashays down the New York runways, Marc Jacobs is the name in lights as LVMH narrows focus on filling the top job. Negotiations are said to have slowed, with the news that Jacobs and long time business partner, Robert Duffy, are seeking salaries in the low eight figures each, alongside several other benefits.
Tata Motors is also unexpectedly seeking new leadership, following the announcement that chief executive Carl-Peter Forster – credited with returning Jaguar Land Rover to profit – has resigned effective immediately, citing “unavoidable personal circumstances.” After serving less than two years at the helm, Forster’s successor will be responsible for battling current economic uncertainty and balancing out the group’s current dependency on sales in the U.S. and Europe.
Frédéric Dufour, Managing Director, Maison Ruinart
After fifteen years of service at LVMH, Frédéric Dufour has been appointed managing director of the Maison Ruinart. Most recently he served as the international director of Veuve Clicquot and brand unit director for Moët & Chandon.
Source: Business Wire
Jean-Marc Gallot, EVP, Louis Vuitton International
Frédéric Dufour replaces Jean-Marc Gallot at Ruinart, who will re-join Louis Vuitton as executive vice president, commercial activities, in charge of the international division. Mr Gallot originally joined LVMH as managing director of Louis Vuitton North America in 2003.
Source: Fashion Snoop
Tim Bourne, Global head of watches, Sotheby’s
Responding to the rapid expansion of the auction market for watches worldwide, Tim Bourne has been appointed as Worldwide Head of Sotheby’s Watches department. Based in Hong Kong, Mr. Bourne will be responsible for overseeing Sotheby’s Asia watch auctions in addition to those in Geneva, New York and London.
Source: World Tempus
Jenné Lombardo, Global Fashion Director, W Hotels
Marking the second global fashion director appointment at Starwood’s W Hotel brand, fashion entrepreneur Jenné Lombardo has been named to succeed Amanda Ross. Ms. Lombardo will be responsible for developing strategic initiatives and partnerships that showcase W’s innovative point of view on fashion.
Source: W Hotels
Jacques Emmanuel Falempin, CEO, Maxime Simoens
Jacques Emmanuel Falempin has been appointed CEO of Paris’s Maxime Simoens, following consultancy roles at several LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton-owned brands and tenure as associate director of Agent de Luxe.
Source: WWD
Claire Choisne, Creative Director, Boucheron
PPR owned haute jeweller, Boucheron, has named Claire Choisne as director of creation effective immediately. Ms Choisne was most recently creative studio manager for jeweller Lorenz Bäumer, where she served for ten years.
Source: WWD
Michele Sofisti, President, Sowind Group
Michele Sofisti has been appointed as president of PPR’s Swiss haute Horlogerie group Sowind, which includes Girard-Perregaux and JeanRichard brands. Mr Sofisti will continue to serve as chief executive officer Gucci Group Watches and Jewellery and Member of the Board of Directors of Gucci Timepieces Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Japan.
Source: Retail Jeweller
John Hooks, European President, Ralph Lauren
Most recently holding the positions of deputy chairman and vice president at Giorgio Armani Group, John Hooks has joined Ralph Lauren, succeeding Brian Duffy as group president in Europe. Mr Hooks served at Giorgio Armani for over eleven years, announcing his resignation in May 2011.
Source: WWD
Mathilde Castello Branco, Creative Director, Azzaro
After experience at Hermès and Lanvin, including over ten years working with Alber Elbaz, Mathilde Castello Branco has been appointed as creative director of Azzaro. The Azzaro brand’s main shareholder is the Reig Capital group.
Source: DFNI Online
Marc-Michel Amadry, Swiss Managing Director, Sotheby’s
Dividing his time between Sotheby’s Zurich and Geneva, Marc Michel-Amadry has been appointed as managing director of Sotheby’s Switzerland, reflecting the growing importance of Sotheby’s business in the region.
Source: Magazine de la Haute Horlogerie
Michael Sharp, CEO, Debenhams
Following a three-year service as deputy chief executive of Debenhams, Michael Sharp has been promoted to the role of chief executive, following the April retirement of Rob Templeman.
Source: The Appointment
For more in the series of The Latest Appointments, please see our most recent editions as follows:
– The Latest Appointments, Sofitel, Halston & Louis Vuitton
– The Latest Appointments, Belstaff, Trussardi & L’Oreal Luxury
– The Latest Appointments, Chloe, DeBeers & Boucheron
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.
