Dries Van Noten
Belgian designer brand Dries Van Noten has appointed Adrian Ward-Rees as President, effective December 1.
Adrian Ward-Rees will succeed Axel Keller, who has been with the company for more than five years. Keller will remain until the end of this year to support the handover and ensure business continuity.
Adrian Ward-Rees has served as Chief Business Officer of Moncler Grenoble, Moncler Group’s premium outdoor line, since October 2025. He brings more than 30 years of senior management experience in fashion and luxury, with a focus on commercial strategy and international retail.
He began his career at British department store Selfridges as a buyer and merchandise manager, before holding senior positions at international brands including Nike and Speedo. He subsequently served as Managing Director of Dior Homme, followed by a three-year tenure as Senior Vice President at Burberry, where he led commercial strategy. From April 2023 to September 2024, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Amiri, the American brand under OTB Group.
Borbonese
Italian leather goods and accessories brand Borbonese has appointed Marie-Laure Lequain as its new Chief Executive Officer.
In her new role, Marie-Laure Lequain aims to bring fresh energy to the brand’s identity and identify new opportunities for business growth.
Marie-Laure Lequain brings three decades of experience in fashion and luxury. She spent many years at Gucci, where she built its jewellery business from scratch, establishing a category the brand had yet to enter. She subsequently applied this product-led approach to womenswear, before leading the relaunch of Gucci’s website and helping develop its digital business. She spearheaded Gucci Vault, the brand’s first multibrand project, turning vintage and archival pieces into a business tailored to contemporary shopping experiences. After leaving Gucci, she joined leather goods brand MCM in 2023 as Chief Digital and Merchandising Officer, overseeing its product portfolio and digital channels. Earlier in her career, she worked at Bulgari.
Founded in 1910, Borbonese is internationally renowned for its signature Partridge Eye suede (Occhio di Pernice in Italian).
Represent
British streetwear brand Represent has appointed Priya De Souza as Chief Marketing Officer.
In her new role, Priya De Souza will oversee marketing, communications and brand strategy for Represent and its performance line, 247 by Represent, reporting to Chief Executive Officer Paul Spencer. Launched in 2020, 247 by Represent spans running, hybrid training and fashion.
Priya De Souza previously served as Chief Marketing Officer at French designer brand Casablanca, leading its communications and marketing strategy. Before that, she headed global marketing communications at adidas Originals, overseeing end-to-end campaigns for collaborations with Gucci, Balenciaga and Wales Bonner, as well as global social media and public relations. Earlier in her career, she spent nearly a decade at Dazed Media.
Birkenstock
German heritage footwear brand Birkenstock has appointed Peter (Pete) Buse as its new Vice President of Logistics.
Peter (Pete) Buse took up the role on October 1, overseeing the brand’s domestic and international supply chain and logistics strategy.
Peter (Pete) Buse previously spent three years as Chief Operating Officer at German footwear chain Snipes, overseeing global business processes, IT systems and logistics operations. Before that, he served as Chief Operating Officer at European resale e-commerce company Momox and held senior positions at German e-commerce logistics providers Arvato Supply Chain Solutions and Netrada, specialising in e-commerce fulfilment and supply chain solutions.
| Sources: Official press releases, personal social media accounts
| Image Credit: Official press releases, personal social media accounts
| Editor: Luxeplace
