Givenchy appoints new CEO as it awaits its next designer

PARIS – Givenchy has appointed Louis Vuitton executive Alessandro Valenti as its new CEO, WWD has learned.

According to an internal LVMH announcement seen by WWD, Valenti, until recently president of Europe, Middle East and Africa at Louis Vuitton, will start immediately.

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Valenti succeeds Renaud de Lesquen, who took over the management of Givenchy in April 2020. He was previously president and CEO of Dior Americas in that region.

The change in management heralds a new chapter at Givenchy, which has been without a creative director since late 2023. American designer Matthew M. Williams ended his three-year tenure as creative director due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sidney Toledano, chairman of the board of directors of Givenchy and advisor to Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of LVMH, highlighted Valenti’s 25 years of international experience.

“His extensive knowledge of the luxury industry, including more than 10 years at Louis Vuitton, combined with his expertise in retail and his management skills, will be key assets to lead Givenchy to new milestones,” Toledano said in the announcement.

“I would also like to thank Renaud for his great achievements within the LVMH Group since his arrival in 2012, first at Christian Couture, then at Christian Dior Parfums and more recently at Givenchy.”

Lesquen’s next move could not be learned immediately. The announcement said he “has decided to give a new direction to his career.”

During his time at Givenchy, De Lesquen worked behind the scenes to restructure the fashion house’s supply chain and pivot its business model to focus on more company-owned retail. This included the permanent Beverly Hills location on Rodeo Drive, which is set to open soon, and the e-commerce channel.

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He also relaunched iconic leather goods, such as Givenchy’s Antigona bag and Shark Lock boots, and created new handbag franchises, such as Voyou.

Valenti is expected to work with Givenchy’s next creative director to bring about a renaissance at the traditional couture house, which was founded in 1952.

Since founder Hubert de Givenchy retired in 1995, a number of designers have made their mark at Givenchy. First it was John Galliano, then Alexander McQueen, Julien Macdonald, Riccardo Tisci, Clare Waight Keller and finally Williams, who now focuses solely on his signature brand 1017 Alyx 9SM.

Givenchy has held talks with several candidates for the popular Paris role, according to sources, including leading designers such as Galliano and Sarah Burton, top talent as assistants such as Martina Tiefenthaler, Balenciaga’s longtime deputy Demna, and key members of the Givenchy design studio.

The search is reportedly not yet complete.

Valenti joined Vuitton in 2014, initially as general manager for France and Monaco, after nearly three years as senior vice president of retail at Polo Ralph Lauren.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he also held senior retail and operational positions at Giorgio Armani and Gianni Versace.

Valenti studied business administration at Bocconi University in Milan and began his career as a financial controller at IT company Bull and retailer Carrefour in Italy.

Valenti’s appointment underscores Givenchy parent company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton’s penchant for training and promoting executives from within. Valenti is also the second executive in recent months to move from Vuitton, LVMH’s cash cow brand, to a brand under the LVMH Fashion Group.

Last month, Pierre-Emmanuel Angeloglou was named CEO of Fendi, in addition to his role as managing director of LVMH Fashion Group, which includes brands such as Kenzo, Marc Jacobs, Pucci, Stella McCartney, Patou and Off-White. Angeloglou previously spent five years at Vuitton.

Valenti’s successor at Vuitton is Beatrice Monguidi, who joins from the men’s division of Christian Dior Couture.

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