Yagi Tsusho Limited
Japan-based textile trading company Yagi Tsusho Limited has announced a top-level leadership reshuffle: Yuzo Yagi has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, while his eldest son, Yozo Yagi (pictured below), succeeds him as Chief Operating Officer.
Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Osaka, the company’s core businesses include the production and sales of textile materials, as well as the manufacturing and distribution of overseas premium brands in the Japanese market, including Mackintosh, ALEXANDRE DE PARIS, three dots, HELEN KAMINSKI, C.P. COMPANY, KHAITE, and MONCLER.
Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1941, Yuzo Yagi holds an MBA from the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University. He joined the family business in 1964, pioneered the import business of European and American fashion apparel in 1971, and was appointed Chief Operating Officer in 1986.
In November 2025, Yagi Tsusho entered into a strategic partnership with New York-based fashion brand KHAITE to establish a joint venture, KHAITE JAPAN. Yuzo Yagi also serves as Representative Director of the joint venture. In addition, he holds positions as Vice Chairman of the Japan Textile Importers Association and Vice Chairman of the Japan Textile Exporters Association.
Born in 1974, Yozo Yagi earned his MBA from the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University in 2000 and joined the family business in 2001. He was previously seconded to Supremes Incorporated and concurrently headed the Public Relations Office. He was promoted to Executive Director in 2010, Managing Director in 2015, and Representative Director and Executive Vice President in 2023.
Currently, Yozo Yagi holds multiple leadership roles, including Representative Director and President of Mackintosh Japan, Co-CEO of Mackintosh UK, Representative Director and President of Traditional Weatherwear Japan, Director of Supremes Incorporated, Director of Eriopole, Director of ALEXANDRE DE PARIS JAPAN, and Director of ALEXANDRE DE PARIS HOLDINGS SAS.
El Corte Inglés
Spanish department store group El Corte Inglés has appointed Javier Catena as Chief Executive Officer.
In his new role, Javier Catena will be responsible for advancing the group’s revised strategic plan. All business divisions will report directly to him, and he will also lead the management committee.
Catena has spent many years at El Corte Inglés and possesses “extensive operational experience and deep professional expertise” in the group’s businesses. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer, overseeing supply chain, logistics, and real estate operations.
Rag & Bone
American fashion brand Rag & Bone has appointed Valentina Lucaj as the brand’s first-ever President.
In this newly created role, Lucaj will oversee marketing, merchandising, commercial strategy, and other related business functions.
Previously, she worked at Italian luxury brand Fendi, most recently serving as President of the Americas. Earlier in her career, she held several senior roles at Louis Vuitton, including Vice President of Merchandising and Regional Vice President for the Northeastern United States. She also held senior management positions at Saint Laurent, Prada, and Club Monaco.
In February 2024, Rag & Bone was jointly acquired by American fashion brand Guess and brand management company WHP Global. Guess took over the brand’s operating assets and co-owns its intellectual property with WHP Global. More than a year later, in August 2025, Guess’s parent company Guess?, Inc. announced a privatisation strategic partnership agreement with Authentic Brands Group LLC.
Bompard
Cashmere ready-to-wear brand Bompard has appointed Sophie Arnould-Ferry as Creative Director.
Sophie Arnould-Ferry has been collaborating with the brand as a freelance designer since April 2025. In her new role, she will be responsible for shaping the brand’s creative direction while preserving its heritage.
A graduate of École Supérieure des Arts Appliqués Duperré (ESAA Duperré) in Paris, she has developed a comprehensive career focused on product development, colour systems, and textile craftsmanship. She began her career at trend forecasting agency Peclers before becoming an independent designer, collaborating with numerous well-known fashion and luxury brands, including Kenzo, Isabel Marant, Sœur, Loulou de Saison, and Balenciaga.
Founded in 1986, Bompard was acquired in 2018 by investor Xavier Marie, private equity firm Apax Partners, and the investment arm of France’s public bank Bpifrance. The brand previously appointed British designer Emily Harris to lead its creative department. From 2019 to 2025, Carolyn Randolfi, who had worked at Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, Prada, and Ralph Lauren, served as Head of Design. In 2024, Bompard recorded annual revenue of €100 million. The brand operates 13 stores in Paris, an additional 4 in the Île-de-France region, and 73 stores worldwide, with plans to open three new locations.
Hush
Premium womenswear and lifestyle brand Hush has appointed Sally-Anne Newson as Chief Customer Officer.
In her new role, Newson will oversee the integration of creative and digital strategies across all online and offline touchpoints. This leadership change consolidates brand, creative, and digital functions under a single executive. As the brand continues to scale, delivering a unified consumer experience will become a central management priority.
Newson previously spent six years at British fashion brand Reiss as Chief Customer Officer, where she led brand, creative, and digital teams. Prior to that, she served as Customer Experience Director at fashion e-commerce platform The Very Group, overseeing end-to-end digital experience development. Earlier in her career, she was Australia Country Manager for fashion e-commerce platform ASOS. She brings over 20 years of experience in e-commerce and fashion retail management, with leadership experience spanning both entrepreneurial ventures and established global brands.
In 2003, Mandy Watkins and her husband Rupert Youngman co-founded Hush. In 2020, retail investment firm True completed its first external investment in the brand, acquiring approximately a 50% stake.
| Source: official press releases, FashionNetwork, The Industry.fashion
| Image Credit: personal social media accounts
| Editor: Luxeplace
