MILAN — There is no doubt that the industry will see an unprecedented number of creative directors debuting their collections over the next few months, but executives in the corner office of several Italian brands have also been through revolving doors and their next steps are closely watched.
The luxury slowdown, and changes in consumer spending, marketing and distribution channels have impacted the C-suite, evolving the role of the chief executive officer — and in some cases, even doing away with it. For example, at Dsquared2, Ennio Fontana exited the brand in February 2024 after one year in the role, succeeded by founders and creative directors Dean and Dan Caten, who have been effectively managing the brand. This is not the first time the siblings have spearheaded Dsquared2, as they did so for five years following the exit of Gianfranco Maccarrone in 2017 and before the arrival of Fontana’s predecessor Sergio Azzolari in April 2022.
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Although never confirmed by the company, Azzolari, who had been CEO of Roberto Cavalli since April 2023, is said to have parted ways with the brand over the summer.
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Prada Group CEO Andrea Guerra Guerra has been acting as the Prada brand’s CEO ad interim, following the exit of Gianfranco D’Attis at the end of June. When asked about a potential successor in July, Guerra said no appointment was imminent. “The Prada brand is unique, and at times we forget that this is a first-generation brand that maybe doesn’t need a CEO, but needs a kind of bright coordination between very strong people, ideas, souls, creativity, thoughts, sometimes going with the flow, sometimes going exactly the opposite of the flow. So I’ve been taking personally this task, and I will keep on doing that. And we will judge in due course. But if it is an interim, it’s a long one,” he said.
At Ferragamo, following Marco Gobbetti’s exit in March, chairman Leonardo Ferragamo assumed executive powers, supported by a transitional chairman advisory committee comprising James Ferragamo, chief transformation and sustainability officer; former chief financial officer Ernesto Greco, and former CEO Michele Norsa, who took on the role of special chairman’s adviser.
In July, commenting on first-half results, asked about the arrival of a new CEO, Greco said “the recruiting process is underway and ongoing” and that the current strategy, focusing on core product offerings, optimized pricing and improved store efficiency, was mapped out “by a large group of professionals, internal management and external consultants.”
Gobbetti at the end of July joined the board of Moschino parent Aeffe tasked with defining growth avenues also through strategic partnerships.
Eyes are on several new leaders in the driving seat.
At the end of August, CEO Rodrigo Bazan stepped down from his role at Thom Browne, controlled by the Ermenegildo Zegna Group, succeeded by Nordstrom executive Sam Lobban, who brings a different set of skills to the American brand. On Sept. 1, Riccardo Bellini, managing director of Valentino’s parent Mayhoola, succeeded Jacopo Venturini at the helm of the Rome-based couture house.
After only six months, Serge Brunschwig left Jil Sander at the end of July and the CEO role of the brand is now held by parent OTB Group CEO Ubaldo Minelli.
Brunschwig, who was previously Fendi chairman and CEO, had also been named chief strategy officer of OTB, but relinquished that role, too.
Diesel has been led by Minelli since the exit of CEO Eraldo Poletto in February 2023.
Ramon Ros, previously president and CEO of Louis Vuitton, mainland China, succeeded Brunschwig at Fendi on July 1.
As part of another management shuffle at parent LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Damien Bertrand, CEO of Loro Piana, was appointed deputy CEO of Louis Vuitton, effective June 10, and Frédéric Arnault, who had been CEO of LVMH Watches, which comprises Tag Heuer, Hublot and Zenith, succeeded Bertrand at Loro Piana.