Francesca Bellettini, the chief executive of Yves Saint Laurent, in Paris. This generation doesnt appreciate being considered a target. Saint Laurent Paris is consistent throughout, from manufacturing to customer service, with every employee at every level aware of the brand identity and carrying on their jobs with a full understanding of the story they are telling.. 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It hasn't come without a cost. Premium Digital includes access to our premier business column, Lex, as well as 15 curated newsletters covering key business themes with original, in-depth reporting. Bellettini is a remarkable woman. For more updates about the The BoF 500 subscribe to the Daily Digest newsletter. ", The priority is to make sure the leather I use is sourced correctly. Francesca Bellettini with creative director Anthony Vaccarello and Franois-Henri Pinault, chairman and chief executive of Kering "That is something that you learn in banking," she adds.. Notable for Saint Laurent under Bellettini is its leather business. organisation Showing Editorial results for francesca le. According to the fashion house's CEO, Francesca Bellettini, the Vaccarello era at the fashion house will be a . Some people dont believe it, but Anthony was the only one I met for the job.. He never frightens you, she said. Some white space to reach its new target. You need to take a position sometimes, and you also need to give consumers things they dont even know that they want.. Francesca Bellettini began her career in London as an investment banker, working at Goldman Sachs International, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell and Compass Partners International. (Bellettini, as she speaks, is dressed in a head-to-toe Saint Laurent: a floral blouse and mustard slacks.) Investing veterans Deborah Jackson and Andrea Turner Moffitt connectfemale entrepreneurs with investors in a creative way with their firm, Plum Alley Investments. and other data for a number of reasons, such as keeping FT Sites reliable and secure, Sign up to our newsletter for a truly global perspective on the fashion industry. or You can still enjoy your subscription until the end of your current billing period. Such was Slimanes influence that many industry analysts predicted his departure would lead to a reversal of Saint Laurents recent growth. However, along with creative director Anthony Vaccarello, who she recruited in 2016, Bellettini has steered Saint Laurent to new heights without deviating from the brands DNA. It became modern and sleek, with an homage to the brands history, while elevating it from the image Yves Saint Laurent called to mind at the time it made everyone have an opinion. Francesca Bellettini, chief exec of fast-growing Yves Saint Laurent, Gina Miller, co-founder of investment boutique SCM Private, has campaigned against sneaky chargesin the asset management market. Working with her is enriching, Mr. Vaccarello said. The news sent shockwaves through the industry, with many interpreting the change as a sign of disrespect to the companys founder and namesake. An Italian woman who had never run a company, lived in Paris or learned the unwritten codes of French society, she was considered a strange choice to become chief executive of Yves Saint Laurent, the ultimate French brand, in 2013. Their brand offers an escape to people, which during this unparalleled time in our world, is vital. The fundamentals are even stronger, Bellettini says of the luxury houses current business, speaking in an exclusive Vogue Business interview at her marble-clad office in Paris. Her obsession is paying off. Board of Directors | Ferrari Corporate Bellettini notes that tourists and local customers shop differently: tourists are in search of a better price but know what product they want, while locals are more selective. We communicate in a context thats not related to marketing, such as conferences and internal communication. She says that being a Kering brand is a benefit in terms of sustainability compliances. Sales have just hit the 1.5 billion mark; her ultimate goal is to double it. Thats when Mr. Pinault noticed her. We dont do it to sell an extra bag. Although Bellettini shared that she did not always know she wanted to work in the fashion industry, she was certain her dream was to run a company. Francesca Bellettini | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion International Womens Day happened to coincide with the campaign. Not long after the name change, the company continued its transformation by appointing Bellettini as its new CEO, replacing Paul Deneuve, who changed industries to work under Apple CEO Tim Cook. Plan A was to study Business Administration at Bocconi University and follow her dream of running a company. Facebook gives people. While attending a recent industry function, she said a man told her she was a"disgrace" and that her campaign"would bring down the entire City [London's financial district]." Saint Laurent is the second largest Kering house (representing 13 per cent of the group sales) behind Gucci. Powered and implemented by Interactive Data Managed Solutions. OXFORDSHIRE, United Kingdom These days, Saint Laurent chief executive Francesca Bellettini spends more time fielding questions about her former colleague, current Celine creative director Hedi Slimane, than she would perhaps like. Yet, this also meant that they could not hire more people either. cookies Check if your The companys enviable performance can, in large extent, be attributed to a drastic and unexpected rebranding. When I met him, I was incredibly impressed that he was not at all afraid of the challenge. This was a further step, she says. Our duty is to know what's going on in the supply chain and control it in the best possible way. The brand has had an inflection, according to Morgan Stanley analyst Edouard Aubin, with less black and white and more color, thus catering to a broader audience, he wrote in a note. Any changes made can be done at any time and will become effective at the end of the trial period, allowing you to retain full access for 4 weeks, even if you downgrade or cancel. Not everybody understood, because we are not very talkative; the more you explain, the less sexy a concept becomes. The change to Saint Laurent also reflected a decisive shift towards modernity, helping the brand reach young people who do not share the same connection to the original name as older generations. Thanks to the law of 1948 and to her grandmother, the nominal tenant who is always absent, Francesca Cigalone and all her tribe (thoughtless husband, orphan sister, self-centered film maker and his mistress of the day, eccentric granny, friends, friends of the friends . In 2019 she was awarded the French Knight of the Legion of Honour, the highest possible distinction for a civilian in the country. You will be notified in advance of any changes in rate or terms. She has that rare leadership quality which allows her team members to do the work they were hired to do with little or no interference. Subhadra Dravida founded Transcell Biologics, a stem cell technology company, in 2009. Now, we have arrived at a level of quality that is so high that we can use them for trimmings of some products. Around 60 per cent of Saint Laurent's clients were locals in 2020, according to Morgan Stanleys estimates. After Prada, she jumped to Helmut Lang, to Gucci and then to Bottega Veneta, where she was communication and merchandising director, living comfortably in Lugano, near Milan. Also, focus: In Paris, Ms. Bellettini lives in an apartment close to the 17th-century htel particulier on the Left Bank that serves as the companys creative core. We talk a lot about strategy, where we want to go. It was an anecdote from the early times of her career when she attended a meeting. At the forefront of this strategy is balance. Chief Executive Officer, Yves Saint Laurent at Kering - View - Kering org chart. It is Bellettinis commitment to balance in this regard, as much as the brands DNA, that has pushed Saint Laurent to excel in both collections, achieving double-digit growth in a sluggish market. The decision was to invest. These days, only 19 percent of YSL sales come from ready-to-wear, 59 percent from leather goods, 14 percent from shoes and the rest from miscellaneous items like eyewear. However, under Francesca Bellettini's guidance, the rebadged Saint Laurent has been remarkably successful. Francesca Bellettini is appointed president and chief executive. Luckily, everyone in Bellettinis team did speak English with her. 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Right now, Bellettini is actively trying to learn French with the goal of becoming an Okay French speaker by the end of 2021. As her son is somehow part of her dead lover, she falls in love with him and tries to seduce him, but he has a girlfriend named Julie. When I had to replace Paul Deneve as C.E.O. She has been the chief executive officer of Yves Saint Laurent since 2013. This required their team members to take on unique responsibilities, for instance, those who work at the stores as sales assistants were trained to become sales assistants over the phone. You may also opt to downgrade to Standard Digital, a robust journalistic offering that fulfils many users needs. Rosenkranz asked about hurdles and bumps faced along the way, and Bellettini shared how her biggest mistake was allowing fear to get in her way. Under CEO Francesca Bellettini and designer Anthony Vaccarello, Saint Laurent has more than doubled sales in 5 years and is on track to surpass $3 billion in 2022. Bellettini joined Yves Saint Laurent from Bottega Veneta. Bellettini proclaimed herself to be a perfectionist; and although this can be helpful to produce meticulous work, she also recognized how it does not allow for mistakes; and, mistakes are critical on the journey to growth and success. Well, it turned out they didnt know much. Due to the extraordinary growth of the company under her leadership, she has been named by the Financial Times as one of the 25 most influential women of 2022. Customer Service. She established a company culture that fosters creativity, authenticity and agility, driving the consistent dynamism of the House and ensuring an outstanding and sustained growth trajectory, built on solid foundations. After looping across the vast courtyard of the former 18th-century abbey, through the showrooms, we pass through the front gate at the rue de Bellechasse. Bellettinis leadership has fueled the Houses expansion and enabled Saint Laurents identity to emerge, pushing boundaries forward, yet remaining true to the Houses core values. Francesca Bellettini was appointed president andchief executiveof Saint Laurent in July 2013. After graduating from high school, Bellettini had two plans. Renaming a world-famous brand is never advisable. Non-Executive Director at Ferrari - View - Ferrari org chart. What was truly striking, however, was when Bellettini explained her out-look on life: if Plan A fails, Plan B will never be a watered-down version; instead, both paths will take her down something remarkable and exciting. Why is Anthonys ready-to-wear always pictured in the magazines with our bags and shoes? And they certainly didnt know her. PARIS, France Kering, parent company of Parisian fashion brand Yves Saint Laurent, has announced that Francesca Bellettini will take the reins as the brand's new chief executive, effective September 1st. A great sales force can make a difference, in terms of proposing a silhouette. We are delighted that you'd like to resume your subscription. Our Q3 performance in China was very strong, with excellent growth in-store and online. When she saw an article of clothing she really liked, she could not hold herself from saying I really liked that, without thinking about what her comments impact could be. She is resolved to stay true to the brands DNA while pushing to capture new customers and enter new markets. Bellettini believes having a permanent collection is vital in ensuring brand awareness and recruiting customers. The World's Most Powerful Women: April 26 | Fortune Forging Saint Laurent's Future with Francesca Bellettini In the third quarter of 2021, Saint Laurent generated 22 per cent of its sales in Asia Pacific, versus 41 per cent for Gucci and 35 per cent for Bottega Veneta.