Condé Nast
Global media giant Condé Nast has appointed Violaine Gressier as Commercial Director for France.
She will assume the role on June 22, 2026, based in Paris, reporting to Chief Revenue Officer Elizabeth Herbst-Brady. She will oversee all commercial activities across the company’s portfolio of brands in France—including Vogue France, GQ, Vanity Fair and Architectural Digest—covering advertising revenue, partnerships, and initiatives to accelerate revenue growth. She will also drive innovation across all platforms and strengthen relationships with advertisers and partners in the French market.
Violaine Gressier joined US tech giant Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram) in 2016, where she was responsible for global client partnerships in the luxury division, and became Global Head of Luxury in 2024. During her time at Meta, she led strategic partnerships and growth initiatives with major luxury brands. She also played a key role in building and developing Meta’s Global Luxury Hub in Paris and served on Meta France’s executive committee.
Earlier in her career, Gressier worked across media, advertising and film. After graduating from ESSEC Business School in 1998, she spent five years at Club Med, followed by roles at French creative agency BETC Étoile Rouge and film company EuropaCorp, founded by Luc Besson.
In her new role, she will work closely with Condé Nast’s editorial teams and brand leadership to better align commercial and editorial strategies, develop new revenue streams, and strengthen cross-functional collaboration. She will also contribute to the company’s global fashion and luxury strategy, enhancing synergies between France and other key luxury markets.
Marimekko
Finnish fashion and lifestyle brand Marimekko has appointed Karolin Stjerna as Chief Operating Officer and a member of the management team.
Karolin Stjerna will take up her position on June 8, 2026, reporting to President and CEO Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko. She will be responsible for supply chain operations and development, including product development, sourcing, quality control, logistics, as well as overseeing the company’s Helsinki-based print factory.
Stjerna, 46, spent nine years at Danish fashion brand Ganni prior to joining Marimekko. She progressed from Head of Customer Service and Logistics to Chief Operating Officer and a member of the executive committee.
Before that, she worked for 12 years at French beauty giant L’Oréal, holding several leadership roles in supply chain and logistics.
Karolin Stjerna graduated from Stockholm University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Logistics.
Lafayette 148
New York-based premium womenswear brand Lafayette 148 has appointed Peter Herink as Chief Commercial Officer, a newly created position. He officially assumed the role on June 1, overseeing the global commercial strategy across retail, wholesale and direct-to-consumer channels, reporting to CEO and co-founder Deirdre Quinn.
Previously, Peter Herink served as Senior Vice President of Merchandising at Christian Dior Couture starting in June 2024, where he was responsible for strategy across all womenswear categories. He spent approximately one and a half years at Dior until October 2025.
Prior to that, he served for nearly a decade as CEO Americas at Swiss luxury fashion brand Akris starting in 2014. Earlier in his career, he held roles at American accessible luxury brand Tory Burch as Vice President and General Merchandise Manager, as well as overseeing global retail buying.
Peter Herink holds a Bachelor’s degree in Merchandising Management from Fashion Institute of Technology. He began his career in 1996 as an assistant buyer at US luxury department store Saks Fifth Avenue, returning to the company in 2002 for another eight years, where he rose to Vice President and Merchandise Manager of the contemporary sportswear division.
Marc Cain
Patric Spethmann officially assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer at German womenswear brand Marc Cain earlier this month as planned. He will be responsible for all business operations. The company had announced his appointment in December 2025.
Founder and owner Helmut Schlotterer will continue to serve as Chairman of the Supervisory Board, focusing on supporting Spethmann’s integration into the company and providing guidance and advice.
Patric Spethmann holds a Master’s degree from Leipzig Graduate School of Management and a PhD in Business Administration from University of Surrey. Since 2019, he served as Chief Operating Officer at Marc O’Polo, focusing on optimising internal processes, improving efficiency and restructuring the organisation. Earlier in his career, he worked at German homeware retailer Depot, where he held roles including Supply Chain Manager and Chief Operating Officer.
｜Source: official press releases, Fashion Network, executives’ LinkedIn profiles
｜Image Credit: executives’ LinkedIn profiles, Instagram
｜Editor: Luxeplace
