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Laura du Rusquec, former deputy CEO at Balenciaga, is Ganni’s new chief executive, effective immediately. She replaces Andrea Baldo, who was at the helm for the past five years.
Du Rusquec hails from Kering, where she held positions at Gucci and Kering Group prior to heading to Balenciaga. “I am thrilled to join Ganni at such a pivotal time and to continue building on the brand’s strong foundation,” she said in a statement. “Ganni’s commitment to innovation, sustainability and their progressive approach to luxury is exactly what the future of fashion needs.”
Baldo took over the post in 2018 when founder Nicolaj Reffstrup stepped down to focus on responsibility within the company, the brand said at the time. Baldo joined from leather goods brand Coccinelle.
“Andrea has been an integral part of Ganni’s journey, steering us through both challenges and opportunities with unmatched dedication,” Reffstrup said in a statement on Tuesday. “His vision has been crucial in shaping what Ganni is today.”
Now, global expansion looks to be a focus. “Laura’s extensive experience in EMEA and global markets with speciality in luxury equips her with unique insights and strategies, ideal for leading Ganni into its next phase of growth and brand innovation,” said Eduardo Velasco, partner at L Catterton, which acquired a majority stake in Ganni back in 2017.
Under Baldo, Ganni has furthered its growth as an international brand, as well as its sustainability credentials. In 2023, the brand opened five stores in China in a bid to capitalise on strong post-pandemic demand in the region. Stateside, Ganni’s collaboration with New York-based model Paloma Elsesser just dropped. Ganni’s US presence has also been bolstered by the brand’s work with California startup Rubi Labs on a carbon-negative cellulose pilot programme.
The brand opted to sit out of January’s Copenhagen Fashion Week to amplify emerging brands rather than putting on its usual headline-grabbing closer show. “We needed to reset at some point,” co-founder and creative director Ditte Reffstrup told Vogue Business at the time.
“I look forward to leading the talented team toward new heights and further global expansion,” Du Rusquec said.
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