& Other Stories
Fashion brand & Other Stories, part of H&M Group, has announced that its Chief Creative Officer Jonathan Saunders is stepping down after just one year in the role.
In an official statement, the brand said that Jonathan Saunders’ departure is a personal decision, as he plans to return to the United States to be with his family. To ensure a smooth transition, he will remain in his role until mid-August. The brand has not yet announced a successor.
Jonathan Saunders graduated from Glasgow School of Art and Central Saint Martins. He previously served as a creative consultant for Calvin Klein. In 2004, he founded his own label, Jonathan Saunders International, which he ran for 12 years.
Since 2018, he has operated his own studio and agency, Saunders Studio, providing consultancy services to brands including Tiffany & Co., Chloé, Louis Vuitton, Alexander McQueen, Pucci and Marc Jacobs. He also served as Creative Director of accessories brand Pollini and spent three and a half years as Chief Creative Officer of American fashion brand Diane von Furstenberg.
Charles Tyrwhitt
British multi-channel menswear retailer Charles Tyrwhitt has appointed Rebecca Howat as General Manager.
A long-standing senior executive at the company, Rebecca Howat has been with Charles Tyrwhitt for 13 years and most recently served as Chief Operating Officer. Earlier in her career, she was responsible for merchandise planning and operations at Arcadia Group.
In her new role, Rebecca Howat will succeed Luke Kingsnorth, who will become Chief Executive Officer of parent company Bectin Group. Bectin Group owns both Charles Tyrwhitt and The White Company.
Charles Tyrwhitt was founded in 1986 by Nick Wheeler while he was still a student. In 1997, the brand opened its first store on London’s renowned menswear destination, Jermyn Street. Today, the brand operates 43 stores in the UK and 12 in the United States, along with multiple franchise locations worldwide.
Extreme Cashmere
Amsterdam-based knitwear brand Extreme Cashmere has appointed Marc Schmidt as General Manager, effective July 1.
In his new role, Marc Schmidt’s core mission is to “support the founder and team in driving steady, sustainable growth while safeguarding the brand’s distinctive identity.”
Marc Schmidt most recently served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Digital Officer at Casablanca, and previously held roles at Scholl Shoes, Crocs and adidas.
Extreme Cashmere was founded in 2016 by industry veteran Saskia Dijkstra. Positioned as a luxury knitwear brand, it focuses on seasonless, gender-neutral cashmere collections, built around a one-size-fits-all design philosophy.
Gas
Italian denim brand Gas has appointed Tony Ranalli as its new Artistic Director.
In his new role, Tony Ranalli will be responsible for “reinterpreting Gas’s heritage and translating it into a design language that blends contemporary style, authenticity, and a pure creative core.” In addition to overseeing design direction, he will also act as a key voice in articulating the brand’s philosophy and development trajectory.
Tony Ranalli graduated from Accademia Koefia and brings more than 30 years of experience across apparel, menswear, womenswear, licensing, and accessories. He began his career at Roberto Cavalli, where he worked as a fashion designer for a decade. He later served as a design consultant for Byblos, Zuhair Murad, Jean Paul Gaultier and Kocca, and founded his own label Letonerre. He also spent three years at Chinese company Eeak, where he led design for the Koradior brand, before returning to Cavalli to work on Just Cavalli.
Gas is headquartered in Chiuppano, in Italy’s Vicenza province, and operates approximately 650 multi-brand retail locations across Italy, Europe, Africa, and Asia. The brand was acquired in 2022 by Milano 1984 and is currently jointly owned by investment holding group Bordin Holding, DeA Capital and Duke.
ASOS
British fashion e-commerce platform ASOS has appointed Andrew Tiller as its new Creative Director.
Prior to joining ASOS, Andrew Tiller spent two years as Visual Director at British designer brand Stella McCartney.
With over 25 years of industry experience, Andrew Tiller has held senior creative roles at multiple fashion brands. He worked for Stuart Weitzman for three years, and has also been part of creative agencies Laird + Partners and DJA, serving luxury clients including Chanel, Dior, Tiffany & Co., Ralph Lauren and Louis Vuitton.
nendo
Japanese design company nendo has announced that its founder Oki Sato (pictured below) will step down as President and Chief Creative Officer. He will be succeeded by founding member and current General Manager Akihiro Ito.
Although Oki Sato will no longer hold a management role, he will continue to focus on creative work and remain actively involved in nendo’s projects. In a post on nendo’s official Instagram account, he said that “after careful consideration, I decided to implement this major leadership transition in order to further expand our business boundaries and drive the brand’s development. The new operating model represents a significant challenge, but I am confident that with the team’s diverse perspectives, nendo will move beyond its past and unlock new possibilities.”
nendo was founded in 2002 by Oki Sato shortly after completing his master’s degree, with offices in both Tokyo and Milan. The company operates globally, with a multidisciplinary design practice spanning architecture, interior design, furniture, industrial products, and graphic design. In recent years, its representative projects have included the Tokyo Olympic cauldron and the new office space for Creatures Inc.
｜Source: official press releases, personal social media accounts
｜Image Credit: brand official websites, personal social media accounts
｜Editor: Luxeplace
