NEW YORK — Van Cleef & Arpels, which celebrates its centennial this year, has named Emmanuel Perrin as chief executive officer and president of its North American division.
Perrin said he intends to continue Richemont’s strategy since acquiring Van Cleef in 1999. He plans to open a maximum of one to two stores a year in the U.S. over the next three to five years.
There are also plans to expand the wholesale distribution in “limited and carefully selected doors.” Perrin said the U.S. is Van Cleef’s largest market.
He succeeds Nathalie Guedj, who has held the post since 2000.
According to a company statement, Guedj is stepping down to become ceo of a European jewelry company. She couldn’t be reached for comment, but one source said it wasn’t a Richemont brand.
Most recently, Perrin was ceo of Van Cleef in Japan. He has been with Compagnie Financière Richemont SA, which owns Van Cleef, since 1992 in various roles.
Perrin, who begins his new role on July 10, will report to Van Cleef’s worldwide ceo and president, Stanislas de Quercize, who joined in September from heading up Richemont’s Cartier division in North America.
Guedj is credited with structuring a new retail and wholesale strategy at Van Cleef, following its acquisition by Richemont. At the reopening of the firm’s New York flagship in December, Guedj told WWD that the Van Cleef business has doubled in the last five years. Industry sources estimated the brand’s sales volume to be $150 million, which Guedj and Quercize last year called a low estimate.
In the past three years, the company has renovated several stores, in addition to opening stores in Moscow and Beijing late last year.
Later this year, Van Cleef will reopen its Place Vendôme flagship in Paris, where it will offer additional pieces from its largest high-end jewelry collection to date in honor of the centennial.