LEADERS

The Latest Appointments: Saint Laurent, Buccellati & Hermès

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Sophie Doran

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This is the featured image caption
Credit: This is the featured image credit

New leadership announcements at Saint Laurent Paris, Buccellati, Lanvin, Hermès & Vertu, as the industry awaits appointment of new creative directors at Mulberry & Bally

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

New leadership announcements at Saint Laurent Paris, Buccellati, Lanvin, Hermès & Vertu, as the industry awaits appointment of new creative directors at Mulberry & Bally

New leadership announcements at Saint Laurent Paris, Buccellati, Lanvin, Hermès & Vertu, as the industry awaits appointment of new creative directors at Mulberry & Bally.

Mulberry Group Plc has revealed that creative director Emma Hill wants to leave the British luxury-goods maker after six years, sending the shares down the most in two months (Bloomberg). The timing of Hill’s departure is under discussion and has yet to be finalised, with CEO Bruno Guillon pledging to return the British luxury-goods maker to growth in the next 12 months, even without the help of Mulberry’s celebrated creative director.

Bally is also on the hunt for a new creative director, following the resignation of creative directors Graeme Fidler and Michael Herz (WWD). The duo has served at Bally since 2010 and will depart the Labelux owned brand at the end of September. Speculation is mounting that the team could be bound for Mulberry, though neither label has issues any official statement.

“ Speculation is mounting that Bally’s Graeme Fidler & Michael Herz could be bound for Mulberry ”

In the beauty world, Youcef Nabi has stepped down from her post as president of Lancôme International, four years after taking the helm. L’Oreal has declined to comment on the sudden departure, though French magazine Challenges reported that Ms. Nabi resigned because of “strategic differences” with Nicolas Hieronimus, head of L’Oreal’s luxury division.

Finally, Chanel’s fragrance creator of 35 years, Jacques Polge, is preparing to retire. Mr. Polge has created every Chanel fragrance launched since 1978, including Coco, Coco Mademoiselle, Allure, Chance, Chanel de Bleu and Chanel No.5 Eau Premiere (Vogue UK). His son Olivier, who joins Chanel from International Flavors & Fragrance, will succeed Jacques.

The younger Polge has created a number of hit fragrances with luxury brands and fashion houses, including Dior Homme, Balenciaga Florabotanica and Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb. He will join Chanel Fragrances in September, initially working alongside his father and Christopher Sheldrake – director of research and development at Chanel Fragrances Laboratory.

Scott Thompson, Managing Director, Astley Clarke

British luxury jewellery brand Astley Clarke has named Scott Thomson managing director, working closely with founder and executive chairman Bec Astley Clarke. Mr Thompson was most recently CEO at Claudia Schiffer, after serving as managing director of women’s lifestyle footwear brand FitFlop,.

Source: Retail Jeweller

Arnaud Maillard, Alvaro Castejón, Azzaro

Azzaro has recruited Arnaud Maillard and Alvaro Castejón, a franco-hispanic duo from a rich international background, to be the brand’s creative directors. Based in Madrid, the duo launched their own luxury womenswear line Alvarno in 2009.

Arnaud Maillard worked the Karl Lagerfeld studio for 15 years, whilst Alvaro Castejó has worked for Oscar de la Renta, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, Lagerfeld Gallery and Fendi.

Source: FashionMag

Roberto Menichetti, Creative Director, Ballantyne

Italian fashion label Ballantyne has announced former Burberry creative director Roberto Menichetti as its new creative director. Known for his time at Burberry, where he was creative director prior to Christopher Bailey from 1998 to 2001, Menichetti has also designed for brands including Céline, Cerruti, Guy Laroche and Jil Sander.

Source: Fashion United

Harry Slatkin, Vice Chairman, Belstaff

Harry Slatkin has been named Vice-President of Belstaff, owned by Swiss luxury goods company Labelux since 2011. Slatkin is a shareholder and will continue to serve as CEO of the brand until a replacement has been found. He will also remain a board member.

Source: Pambianco News

Jason Wu, Creative Director, Boss Womenswear

Jason Wu has joined Hugo Boss as the artistic director of Boss womenswear, responsible for the creative direction of all product lines and image-relevant aspects of the Boss womenswear ready-to-wear and accessories collections. Mr. Wu will continue to work on his eponymous line, set to debut his first Boss collection for Pre-Fall 2014.

Source: Popsugar

William Daley, WW Communications Director, Bottega Veneta

Bottega Veneta has named William Daley as its worldwide communications director, reporting to the president and CEO Marco Bizzarri. Mr. Daley joined the company in 2010 covering several positions, was most recently worldwide director of advertising and digital media.

Source: WWD

Thierry Andretta, CEO, Buccellati

Buccellati has named former Lanvin CEO Thierry Andretta as chief executive. Mr. Andretta ran Celine at LVMH in the late 1990s and spent several years at Gucci Group, the old name of Kering’s luxury arm, before running Lanvin, where he doubled sales to more than 236 million euros during his four-year tenure.

Source: Reuters

Stuart Vevers, Creative Director, Coach

Stuart Vevers has been named creative director of Coach, following the departure Reed Krakoff. Mr. Vevers helmed Loewe for five years and was previously the creative director of Mulberry from 2005 to 2008. Earlier in his career, he cut his teeth at Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, Bottega Veneta, and Calvin Klein.

Source: The Cut

Jonathan Zrihen, CEO Americas, Clarins

Jonathan Zrihen has been appointed President and CEO of Clarins Groupe Americas, with effect July 1. Previously President and CEO of Clarins Groupe North America, Zrihen will continue to report to Philip Shearer, Global CEO of Clarins Groupe.

Source: Fashion Beauty Monitor

Sandrine Groslier, President, Clarins Fragrance Group

The Clarins group has announced the departure of Joël Palix, who is leaving his position as president of the group’s fragrance division after six years. Mr. Palix will hand over his responsibilities to Sandrine Groslier, currently managing director of the Clarins Fragrance Group.

Source: FashionMag

Antonio Calce, CEO, Eterna

China Haidian Holdings Limited has announced the appointment of Mr Antonio Calce as CEO of Eterna, a Swiss watch company founded in Grenchen, in addition to his current and continuing responsibilities as CEO of Montres Corum Sarl. The appointment comes after China Haidian acquired Montres Corum Sarl earlier in 2013 .

Source: Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie

Gaetano Sciuto, President, Fendi Americas

Fendi has appointed Gaetano Sciuto as president of its Americas division, effective September 1, succeeding Stacy Van Praagh. Sciuto currently serves as Fendi’s licenses and accessories director based in Lugano, Switzerland. Prior to Fendi, Sciuto worked for companies such as Sebastian International, Lotto Sport and Sola International.

Source: Pambianco News

Lauren Stevenson, Head of Communications, Harrods

Harrods has named Lauren Stevenson as head of PR and communications. Ms. Stevenson was PR director at my-wardrobe.com for more than five years, overseeing all UK and international men’s and womenswear, managed strategic media partnerships and sat on the retailer’s executive management board.

Source: Gorkana

Axel Dumas, co-CEO, Hermès

Hermès International has installed a member of its founding family as co-chief executive. Axel Dumas, a sixth-generation descendant of the French company’s founder, said in a statement he would seek to protect Hermes’ “independence” alongside co-CEO Patrick Thomas, who is due to retire in 2014.

Source: Reuters

Françoise Lehmann, General Manager, Lancôme International

Lancôme International has appointed Françoise Lehmann as general manager, succeeded Youcef Nabi, who has resigned. Ms. Lehmann has spent her entire career at L’Oréal, starting in 1988. Prior to joining Kérastase in 2010, she was international marketing director of hair colour for L’Oréal Paris.

Source: Pambianco News

Michèle Huiban, CEO, Lanvin

Following the departure of managing director Thierry Andretta, French fashion house Lanvin has formally promoted Michèle Huiban to the position of chief executive, effective immediately. Mr. Huiban has worked as brand’s finance director and deputy general manager since 2011.

Source: BoF

Delphine Arnault, EVP, Louis Vuitton

LVMH has named Delphine Arnault, daughter of Chairman Bernard Arnault, as executive vice president at Louis Vuitton, tasking her with overhauling the handbag maker’s products amid weakening sales. Ms. Arnault will join in September from Christian Dior Couture, where she has been deputy-managing director since 2008.

Source: Bloomberg

Frederic Pflanz, CEO, Remy Cointreau

Remy Cointreau has promoted CFO & COO Frederic Pflanz to the role of CEO, succeeding Jean-Marie Laborde, who led Remy Cointreau for nine years and was the main architect of the group’s focus on high-end brands such as Remy Martin cognac. Mr Pflanz will assume the CEO role from October 1.

Source: Reuters

Anthony Ledru, SVP, Tiffany & Co

Anthony Ledru has been appointed Senior Vice President – Northern America at Tiffany & Co. Mr. Ledru has spent most of his career in the luxury industry in the Americas, first with Cartier in Latin America and the United States, and then with Harry Winston International in New York as Global Vice President of Sales.

Source: Tiffany & Co

Massimiliano Pogliani, CEO, Vertu

CEO Perry Oosting, a Vertu investor who had been with the British luxury mobile phone company for four years, has resigned. The Vertu board of directors has selected Massimiliano Pogliani, previously the firm’s chief marketing officer, to replace the former CEO.

Source: Pambianco News

Francesca Bellettini, CEO, Yves Saint Laurent

Kering has appointed, effective from 1st September, Francesca Bellettini as CEO of Yves Saint Laurent. Ms. Bellettini will join Hedi Slimane at the company to take over from Paul Deneve, who has chosen to take up a new career opportunity at Apple. Francesca Bellettini is currently an executive director at Bottega Veneta.

Source: Kering

For more in the series of The Latest Appointments, please see our most recent editions as follows:

The Latest Appointments: Harry Winston, Dunhill & Audemars Piguet
The Latest Appointments: Bulgari, Burberry & Four Seasons
The Latest Appointments: Harrods, Balenciaga & Louis Vuitton

Sophie Doran
Sophie Doran

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.

LEADERS

The Latest Appointments: Saint Laurent, Buccellati & Hermès

by

Sophie Doran

|

This is the featured image caption
Credit : This is the featured image credit

New leadership announcements at Saint Laurent Paris, Buccellati, Lanvin, Hermès & Vertu, as the industry awaits appointment of new creative directors at Mulberry & Bally

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

New leadership announcements at Saint Laurent Paris, Buccellati, Lanvin, Hermès & Vertu, as the industry awaits appointment of new creative directors at Mulberry & Bally

New leadership announcements at Saint Laurent Paris, Buccellati, Lanvin, Hermès & Vertu, as the industry awaits appointment of new creative directors at Mulberry & Bally.

Mulberry Group Plc has revealed that creative director Emma Hill wants to leave the British luxury-goods maker after six years, sending the shares down the most in two months (Bloomberg). The timing of Hill’s departure is under discussion and has yet to be finalised, with CEO Bruno Guillon pledging to return the British luxury-goods maker to growth in the next 12 months, even without the help of Mulberry’s celebrated creative director.

Bally is also on the hunt for a new creative director, following the resignation of creative directors Graeme Fidler and Michael Herz (WWD). The duo has served at Bally since 2010 and will depart the Labelux owned brand at the end of September. Speculation is mounting that the team could be bound for Mulberry, though neither label has issues any official statement.

“ Speculation is mounting that Bally’s Graeme Fidler & Michael Herz could be bound for Mulberry ”

In the beauty world, Youcef Nabi has stepped down from her post as president of Lancôme International, four years after taking the helm. L’Oreal has declined to comment on the sudden departure, though French magazine Challenges reported that Ms. Nabi resigned because of “strategic differences” with Nicolas Hieronimus, head of L’Oreal’s luxury division.

Finally, Chanel’s fragrance creator of 35 years, Jacques Polge, is preparing to retire. Mr. Polge has created every Chanel fragrance launched since 1978, including Coco, Coco Mademoiselle, Allure, Chance, Chanel de Bleu and Chanel No.5 Eau Premiere (Vogue UK). His son Olivier, who joins Chanel from International Flavors & Fragrance, will succeed Jacques.

The younger Polge has created a number of hit fragrances with luxury brands and fashion houses, including Dior Homme, Balenciaga Florabotanica and Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb. He will join Chanel Fragrances in September, initially working alongside his father and Christopher Sheldrake – director of research and development at Chanel Fragrances Laboratory.

Scott Thompson, Managing Director, Astley Clarke

British luxury jewellery brand Astley Clarke has named Scott Thomson managing director, working closely with founder and executive chairman Bec Astley Clarke. Mr Thompson was most recently CEO at Claudia Schiffer, after serving as managing director of women’s lifestyle footwear brand FitFlop,.

Source: Retail Jeweller

Arnaud Maillard, Alvaro Castejón, Azzaro

Azzaro has recruited Arnaud Maillard and Alvaro Castejón, a franco-hispanic duo from a rich international background, to be the brand’s creative directors. Based in Madrid, the duo launched their own luxury womenswear line Alvarno in 2009.

Arnaud Maillard worked the Karl Lagerfeld studio for 15 years, whilst Alvaro Castejó has worked for Oscar de la Renta, Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, Lagerfeld Gallery and Fendi.

Source: FashionMag

Roberto Menichetti, Creative Director, Ballantyne

Italian fashion label Ballantyne has announced former Burberry creative director Roberto Menichetti as its new creative director. Known for his time at Burberry, where he was creative director prior to Christopher Bailey from 1998 to 2001, Menichetti has also designed for brands including Céline, Cerruti, Guy Laroche and Jil Sander.

Source: Fashion United

Harry Slatkin, Vice Chairman, Belstaff

Harry Slatkin has been named Vice-President of Belstaff, owned by Swiss luxury goods company Labelux since 2011. Slatkin is a shareholder and will continue to serve as CEO of the brand until a replacement has been found. He will also remain a board member.

Source: Pambianco News

Jason Wu, Creative Director, Boss Womenswear

Jason Wu has joined Hugo Boss as the artistic director of Boss womenswear, responsible for the creative direction of all product lines and image-relevant aspects of the Boss womenswear ready-to-wear and accessories collections. Mr. Wu will continue to work on his eponymous line, set to debut his first Boss collection for Pre-Fall 2014.

Source: Popsugar

William Daley, WW Communications Director, Bottega Veneta

Bottega Veneta has named William Daley as its worldwide communications director, reporting to the president and CEO Marco Bizzarri. Mr. Daley joined the company in 2010 covering several positions, was most recently worldwide director of advertising and digital media.

Source: WWD

Thierry Andretta, CEO, Buccellati

Buccellati has named former Lanvin CEO Thierry Andretta as chief executive. Mr. Andretta ran Celine at LVMH in the late 1990s and spent several years at Gucci Group, the old name of Kering’s luxury arm, before running Lanvin, where he doubled sales to more than 236 million euros during his four-year tenure.

Source: Reuters

Stuart Vevers, Creative Director, Coach

Stuart Vevers has been named creative director of Coach, following the departure Reed Krakoff. Mr. Vevers helmed Loewe for five years and was previously the creative director of Mulberry from 2005 to 2008. Earlier in his career, he cut his teeth at Louis Vuitton, Givenchy, Bottega Veneta, and Calvin Klein.

Source: The Cut

Jonathan Zrihen, CEO Americas, Clarins

Jonathan Zrihen has been appointed President and CEO of Clarins Groupe Americas, with effect July 1. Previously President and CEO of Clarins Groupe North America, Zrihen will continue to report to Philip Shearer, Global CEO of Clarins Groupe.

Source: Fashion Beauty Monitor

Sandrine Groslier, President, Clarins Fragrance Group

The Clarins group has announced the departure of Joël Palix, who is leaving his position as president of the group’s fragrance division after six years. Mr. Palix will hand over his responsibilities to Sandrine Groslier, currently managing director of the Clarins Fragrance Group.

Source: FashionMag

Antonio Calce, CEO, Eterna

China Haidian Holdings Limited has announced the appointment of Mr Antonio Calce as CEO of Eterna, a Swiss watch company founded in Grenchen, in addition to his current and continuing responsibilities as CEO of Montres Corum Sarl. The appointment comes after China Haidian acquired Montres Corum Sarl earlier in 2013 .

Source: Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie

Gaetano Sciuto, President, Fendi Americas

Fendi has appointed Gaetano Sciuto as president of its Americas division, effective September 1, succeeding Stacy Van Praagh. Sciuto currently serves as Fendi’s licenses and accessories director based in Lugano, Switzerland. Prior to Fendi, Sciuto worked for companies such as Sebastian International, Lotto Sport and Sola International.

Source: Pambianco News

Lauren Stevenson, Head of Communications, Harrods

Harrods has named Lauren Stevenson as head of PR and communications. Ms. Stevenson was PR director at my-wardrobe.com for more than five years, overseeing all UK and international men’s and womenswear, managed strategic media partnerships and sat on the retailer’s executive management board.

Source: Gorkana

Axel Dumas, co-CEO, Hermès

Hermès International has installed a member of its founding family as co-chief executive. Axel Dumas, a sixth-generation descendant of the French company’s founder, said in a statement he would seek to protect Hermes’ “independence” alongside co-CEO Patrick Thomas, who is due to retire in 2014.

Source: Reuters

Françoise Lehmann, General Manager, Lancôme International

Lancôme International has appointed Françoise Lehmann as general manager, succeeded Youcef Nabi, who has resigned. Ms. Lehmann has spent her entire career at L’Oréal, starting in 1988. Prior to joining Kérastase in 2010, she was international marketing director of hair colour for L’Oréal Paris.

Source: Pambianco News

Michèle Huiban, CEO, Lanvin

Following the departure of managing director Thierry Andretta, French fashion house Lanvin has formally promoted Michèle Huiban to the position of chief executive, effective immediately. Mr. Huiban has worked as brand’s finance director and deputy general manager since 2011.

Source: BoF

Delphine Arnault, EVP, Louis Vuitton

LVMH has named Delphine Arnault, daughter of Chairman Bernard Arnault, as executive vice president at Louis Vuitton, tasking her with overhauling the handbag maker’s products amid weakening sales. Ms. Arnault will join in September from Christian Dior Couture, where she has been deputy-managing director since 2008.

Source: Bloomberg

Frederic Pflanz, CEO, Remy Cointreau

Remy Cointreau has promoted CFO & COO Frederic Pflanz to the role of CEO, succeeding Jean-Marie Laborde, who led Remy Cointreau for nine years and was the main architect of the group’s focus on high-end brands such as Remy Martin cognac. Mr Pflanz will assume the CEO role from October 1.

Source: Reuters

Anthony Ledru, SVP, Tiffany & Co

Anthony Ledru has been appointed Senior Vice President – Northern America at Tiffany & Co. Mr. Ledru has spent most of his career in the luxury industry in the Americas, first with Cartier in Latin America and the United States, and then with Harry Winston International in New York as Global Vice President of Sales.

Source: Tiffany & Co

Massimiliano Pogliani, CEO, Vertu

CEO Perry Oosting, a Vertu investor who had been with the British luxury mobile phone company for four years, has resigned. The Vertu board of directors has selected Massimiliano Pogliani, previously the firm’s chief marketing officer, to replace the former CEO.

Source: Pambianco News

Francesca Bellettini, CEO, Yves Saint Laurent

Kering has appointed, effective from 1st September, Francesca Bellettini as CEO of Yves Saint Laurent. Ms. Bellettini will join Hedi Slimane at the company to take over from Paul Deneve, who has chosen to take up a new career opportunity at Apple. Francesca Bellettini is currently an executive director at Bottega Veneta.

Source: Kering

For more in the series of The Latest Appointments, please see our most recent editions as follows:

The Latest Appointments: Harry Winston, Dunhill & Audemars Piguet
The Latest Appointments: Bulgari, Burberry & Four Seasons
The Latest Appointments: Harrods, Balenciaga & Louis Vuitton

Sophie Doran
Sophie Doran

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.

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