If you thought that the editorial musical chairs that dominated last year was over, you were wrong. Despite being given the fashion director position at T by Sally Singer only last summer, Michelle Kessler Sanders has decided to leave the position. "I realized fairly quickly that the skills I have developed in my 22-year career are much better suited for building a global brand and developing product," she told WWD.
The former editor is moving to Vera Wang, who is continuing to expand her empire, and will undoubtedly be able to lend her retail background to Wang's new ventures. And it looks like the brand have had their eyes on Sanders for a long time: "Finally our business is big enough for her to do it,” Vera Wang Group president Mario Grauso explained.
Sanders isn't the only person making a change. After 15 years at Vogue, the magazine's style director Alexandra Kotur is leaving to join Town & Country as their new creative director. Jay Fielden, the magazine's new editor in chief, is behind the appointment and has worked with Kotur in the past in his role as contributing editor at Vogue.
We hear about finding that perfect Vera Wang bridal gown, but for any of you hoping future bridesmaid duties will see you wearing a Vera Wang bridesmaid dress, you might have to call the nearest David's Bridal. Monday, Wang's boutiques stopped taking orders for the designer's bridal-party dresses, which will now only be sold at DB. Wang will launch a bridal-wear line at the lower-priced bridal shop in February, when shoppers will be able to pick up gowns for $150 to $200, rather than the boutique prices of $180 to $330. Mario Grauso, CEO of Vera Wang, promises the new line will be "very similar in feeling" to the former range.
Caroline Herrera has a new president. Caroline Brown is replacing Mario Grauso who left the company in September to join Vera Wang. From the beginning of June she will oversee the fashion house's global business which includes the pret-a-porter line and bridal wear. Herrera explained that the choice was easy as Brown "brings great experience to the company." More than qualified for the position, Brown boasts recent CEO positions at the brands like Armani, Akris and J Christopher Capital.
"We have taken a few months for this search to make sure we found the right person to take the house of Carolina Herrera to the next level," Marc Puig, chairman and chief executive told WWD.
The company is currently expanding its lines and stores worldwide with the latest store opening on London's Mount Street in February and Herrera hopes to have opened 17 more stores worldwide by the end of the year. Despite the economic decline Herrera is not worried in the slightest saying "I'm always confident and do you know why? Because women never stop buying. When you can no longer afford clothing, you buy fragrances or cosmetics."
Laura Lee Miller, credited as the key designer of the successful Vera Wang women's fragrance while she was President of Unilever Prestige, has become the third high-level departure since Mario Grauso joined as President of Vera Wang in October.
Miller resigned her position as the Vera Wang Group’s President of Licensing and Marketing to open her own consulting business and will continue to advise the company as a private consultant.
When it was announced that Olivier Theyskens was leaving Nina Ricci, I don't think any of us could have anticipated that so much drama would ensue.
Last week we reported that Mario Grauso, president of Piug Fashion Group, will allegedly step down after fashion week in October after being displeased about Theyskens departure from the brand. If times couldn't get any worse for Puig, reports today claim that celebrities plan to remove their support of the conglomerate and its brands. Renée Zellweger, Amy Adams, Reese Witherspoon and Mariska Hargitay, were all introduced to the label by Grauso so it's likely that they might not wear the brand on the red carpet anymore, since he is leaving.
As The Cut point out, Witherspoon and Zellweger almost always wear Carolina Herrera so Grauso's departure could undeniably seriously affect the company and the brands.
If recent reports are anything to go by, the dust has not really settled since Olivier Theyskens' departure from Nina Ricci. According to sources, Puig Fashion Group, who own Nina Ricci as well as brand such as Carolina Herrera, has just lost their president.
Mario Grauso will alegedly stand down after New York Fashion Week next month when his contract runs out. Grauso, who was amongst the first to sing Theyksens praises last season, is reportedly leaving as a result of the designer's departure from the house.
