Liberty
Long-established British fabric manufacturer Liberty has appointed Sinead O’Brien as Head of Design.
Sinead O’Brien’s first collection for Liberty will be Spring/Summer 2028. The brand will subsequently release two main collections and two pre-fall collections each year.
Liberty plans to build a complete wardrobe offering, expanding beyond its existing dresses to include more layering pieces, outerwear, knitwear and separates. It also plans to enlarge the second-floor womenswear area at its London store to showcase its “fashion universe”, including accessories.
Sinead O’Brien worked under British designer Vivienne Westwood early in her career before taking on senior consultancy roles at designer brands Roksanda and Erdem.
North Sails Apparel
North Sails Apparel, the sailing lifestyle brand owned by Italian sailmaker North Sails, has appointed Maurizio Priano as Chief Brand Officer.
In his new role, Maurizio Priano will oversee brand positioning, product strategy and brand communications, aligning these areas around a distinctive core vision. He will strengthen ties between North Sails Apparel and the wider North Sails business, including closer collaboration with its other divisions, Sailmaking and Action Sports, to achieve greater consistency and synergy across the brand.
Maurizio Priano brings more than 20 years of experience in sports, brand building and product. Throughout his career, he has worked at Norwegian outdoor brand Helly Hansen, German outdoor brand Salewa, Italian outdoor footwear and ski equipment group Tecnica Group, and Italian sailing apparel brand SLAM. He has led complex brand repositioning projects, built efficient international organisations and delivered business growth. Most recently, he led SLAM’s strategic revitalisation, helping pave the way for its acquisition by MSC Group in November 2025.
Campaign for Wool
Global wool promotion organisation Campaign for Wool has appointed Ian Maclean as Chairman.
Ian Maclean is a member of the founding family and Executive Chairman of John Smedley, the British knitwear brand that holds Royal Warrants.
He served as President of the Sandringham Association of Royal Warrant Holders in 2025 and as Chairman of the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust from 2022 to 2025. He has been a board director of the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT) for the past 12 years and also chairs the Textile Committee of The Clothworkers’ Company.
Campaign for Wool said that Ian Maclean brings a deep commitment to wool and extensive experience in manufacturing, fashion and textiles.
Founded by King Charles III, who also serves as its patron, Campaign for Wool was formally launched to the public in 2010. It aims to raise awareness of wool’s sustainable properties as a natural fibre and promote its diverse uses in fashion, interiors and other areas of everyday life. The campaign also supports farmers and woolgrowers in Commonwealth countries including Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Rothy’s
Rothy’s, the American sustainable footwear brand owned by Brazilian footwear group Alpargatas, has appointed Jenna Renfrew as Chief Product and Merchandising Officer.
In her new role, Jenna Renfrew will lead Rothy’s integrated product strategy, overseeing product development, production, merchandising, planning and brand collaborations to drive innovation, category expansion and long-term business growth. She will report to Rothy’s Chief Executive Officer Dayna Quanbeck.
Jenna Renfrew previously served as Vice President of Women’s Apparel Merchandising and Design Collaborations at US retailer Target, and as Chief Merchandising Officer at Target-owned Lucky Brand. Earlier in her career, she held roles at fashion e-commerce company Stitch Fix, clothing chain Charlotte Russe, fashion brand Banana Republic and sportswear brand Nike.
| Sources: Official press releases, Saily.it, FashionNetwork, SGB Media
| Image Credit: Official brand websites, personal social media accounts
| Editor: Luxeplace
