NEW YORK — Attendees at Olympus Fashion Week here may be hoping to catch a glimpse of Lindsay Lohan, Beyoncé Knowles or even Renée Zellweger, but if Michele Watches has its way, a few people also will be on the lookout for Michele Barouh.
After being the muse and namesake behind the more than 20-year-old Miami-based watch brand, Barouh is making her first public appearance on its behalf during the upcoming runway collections. She will attend a selection of fashion shows for the first time.
She also will make sure everything goes well with Michele Watches’ role as official timekeeper of the seven-day event. Part of the sponsorship includes posting company-branded television screens above the information desk in the runway tents listing the anticipated start times of shows that day and the next.
“We’ve never really done this type of sponsorship before, but I thought it was a perfect tie-in,” said Barouh. “Even though we’re a watch company, we’re interested in fashion. And I think it’s never been more fashionable to be on time.”
Barouh was born into a family of watchmakers. Her grandfather, Maurice, began making watches in Belgium in the Forties. Maurice passed on the tradition to his son, Jack, who started designing timepieces for the Latin-American market. Inspired by the birth of their daughter in 1976, Jack and his wife, Rita, decided to go into business in the late Eighties creating children’s timepieces. They named the company Michele Watches after their daughter. Eventually, the company evolved to include high-end, Swiss-made women’s styles with fashion-forward colorful straps, luxurious diamond embellishments and the trademarked red crown.
Jack Barouh is still involved in the business, serving as president of Michele Watches. Rita Barouh is also an integral part of the firm, acting as vice president, as is Barouh’s brother, Jeremy, who serves as the vice president of operations.
But for Barouh, despite having the company named after herself as an infant and having watchmaking in her genes, art was her first calling when she grew up. She studied art history and international relations at Tufts University, and continued her studies at Sotheby’s Institute in London, where she received a master’s degree in business and art.
Related Articles
You May Also Like
Five years ago, she was living in London, pursuing her career, when she had a change of heart and decided she wanted to return to Miami and work with her family. She translated her background into a role as creative director at Michele Watches and ushered in a new era of international growth for the brand, bolstered by Fossil’s April 2004 purchase of the company.
“When I started in the family business, I had to learn all the facets, starting with what position was best for me,” said Barouh. “Now I’ve received so much responsibility so quickly. Not many people realize this is a family business, and that there is a real person named Michele. But right now, we’re really looking to expand globally, and I’m having fun getting out there and being able to represent the brand.”
Steve Bock, president of the luxury group at Fossil, based in Richardson, Tex., said Michele Watches, which pulled in an estimated $40 million in retail sales last year, plays a niche roll in the $960 million company, and has great potential for the future now that Barouh is on board.
“She in many ways epitomizes the positioning of the brand,” he said. “She’s young and full of energy and attractive. We love having her out there. She’s doing a lot of work to build the brand and she’s enabling the design to continually evolve.”
Michele Watches timepieces retail from $495 for those without diamonds up to about $8,000 for diamond-embellished styles. International retail doors include Harrods and Selfridges in London and Takashimaya in Tokyo. In the U.S., the assortment sells in specialty boutiques such as London Jewelers, and in department and specialty stores including Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue — the latter of which is welcoming Barouh’s visit here by placing Michele Watches on its mannequins in its Fifth Avenue window displays through Sept. 14.
Barouh said her role takes her all over the world and has been a big change, but she views the adjustment with excitement.
“It’s really gratifying walking around and seeing people wearing the watch and that somebody really loves what you did and is wearing it,” she said. “You’re making somebody’s day a little happier.”