Van Cleef & Arpels
Van Cleef & Arpels has announced that Julie Clody Medina will assume the role of President for the Asia-Pacific region starting May 1, 2024.
Julie Clody Medina brings nearly 20 years of luxury industry experience and a passion for exploring diverse cultures, with experience in France, Australia, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Over the past two years, she has served as Managing Director for Van Cleef & Arpels in Hong Kong and Macau, further enhancing her expertise in business development and becoming an ideal leader to drive steady growth in the Asia-Pacific region.
Julie Clody Medina began her luxury career in 2004, spending over a decade at Christian Dior Couture focusing on product management, marketing, and product promotion. After a year as Vice President of Product Retail for Hong Kong and Macau at Gucci Group, she joined Van Cleef & Arpels’ Singapore branch in 2015 as Retail Director for Southeast Asia and Australia.
In 2019, she moved to Hong Kong, taking on the role of Retail Director for Greater China, Korea, Southeast Asia, and Australia, overseeing and formulating retail strategies to fuel business growth.
Nicolas Bos, the current Global President and CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels, who is set to become the CEO of Richemont Group, stated, “Julie Clody Medina possesses rich multicultural experience and a deep understanding of Southeast Asian culture. She is an undisputed jewelry industry expert, particularly in enhancing client relationships and retail business development. I am confident she will lead the team to elevate the Asia-Pacific market to new heights.”
Ports 1961
Luxury womenswear brand Ports 1961 has appointed in-house designer Francesco Bertolini as Creative Director.
Francesco Bertolini joined the company in 2019 and has previously worked for luxury brands such as Salvatore Ferragamo, Vionnet, and the Prada Group.
He will debut his first collection as Creative Director during Milan Fashion Week this September, showcasing the Spring 2025 collection.
In August 2019, Ports 1961 formed a comprehensive creative design team led by renowned designer Karl Templer, with Fabien Baron as Art Director and Michela Piva as Executive Director, responsible for the global development strategy of Ports 1961, setting a new direction for the brand. However, following Karl Templer’s promotion to Artistic Director of Ports (the parent company) in September 2022, where he no longer participated in the seasonal collections’ design, Ports 1961 ceased holding fashion shows.
Nike
American sports brand Nike has rehired retired executive Tom Peddie as Vice President of Marketplace Partnerships, effective June 24.
Tom Peddie retired in 2020 after over 30 years with Nike. In his new role, he will oversee retail partnerships.
Tom Peddie has held multiple senior management positions at Nike, with his last role being Vice President and General Manager for North America.
Under CEO John Donahoe, Nike has significantly reduced its wholesale channels, pulling products from many retailers to focus on its own stores and e-commerce. However, the brand is now seeking to rebuild relationships with sports retailers like Foot Locker Inc. Due to declining sales, Nike’s stock has fallen 33% year-to-date as of July 8.
In an internal memo seen by Bloomberg, Nike’s President of Geographies and Marketplace Craig Williams said, “As we continue to focus on and enhance our wholesale capabilities, I believe Tom will bring visionary and bold leadership to accelerate market strategy implementation.”
Vivienne Westwood
Jeff Banks, a board director of British designer brand Vivienne Westwood, has exited the board.
Reportedly, Jeff Banks was ousted in a senior-level “coup,” arising from a power struggle with the brand’s Creative Director Andreas Kronthaler, the late founder Vivienne Westwood’s husband, and CEO Carlo D’Amario for control of the brand.
According to the UK’s Daily Mail, insiders revealed that Jeff Banks was removed after expressing concerns over the brand’s direction and fearing the founder’s legacy was at risk.
A long-time friend and business mentor of Vivienne Westwood, Jeff Banks joined the board in late 2022 at her request, as she was frustrated with the brand’s poor business operations. However, shortly after, Vivienne Westwood passed away. Jeff Banks, known for his sharp business acumen, also runs his own fashion business.
| Sources: Official press releases, FashionNetwork, chnews
| Image Credit: Brand official
| Editor: LeZhi
