PARIS – Givenchy has tapped Louis Vuitton executive Alessandro Valenti as its new chief executive officer, WWD has learned.
An internal LVMH announcement seen by WWD said Valenti, most recently president of Europe, Middle East and Africa at Louis Vuitton, would start immediately.
Valenti succeeds Renaud de Lesquen, who took the management helm of Givenchy in April 2020, moving over from Dior Americas, where he had been president and CEO of that region.
The management change sets in motion another new chapter at Givenchy, which has been without a creative director since the end of 2023, when American designer Matthew M. Williams wrapped up a three-year tenure complicated by the coronavirus pandemic.
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Sidney Toledano, chairman of the Givenchy board and an adviser to LVMH chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault, highlighted Valenti’s 25 years of international experience.
“His extensive knowledge of the luxury industry, including more than 10 years at Louis Vuitton, coupled with his retail expertise and managerial skills, will be key assets in taking Givenchy to reach new milestones,” Toledano said in the annnouncement.
“I would also like to thank Renaud for his great accomplishments within the LVMH group since his arrival in 2012, first at Christian Couture, then at Christian Dior Parfums, and more recently for Givenchy.”
De Lesquen’s next move could not immediately be learned. The announcement said he has “decided to give a new direction to his career.”
During his Givenchy tenure, De Lesquen worked behind the scenes to restructure the house’s supply chain, and tilt the business model toward more company-owned retail, including its permanent Beverly Hills outpost on Rodeo Drive, which is opening soon, and the e-commerce channel.
He also relaunched iconic leather goods, like Givenchy’s Antigona bag and Shark Lock boots, in addition to stoking new handbag franchises such as the Voyou.
Valenti is expected to partner with Givenchy’s next creative leader to spark a renaissance at the heritage couture house, founded in 1952.
Givenchy has seen a string of designers take on its legacy since founder Hubert de Givenchy retired in 1995, starting with John Galliano, then Alexander McQueen, Julien Macdonald, Riccardo Tisci, Clare Waight Keller and Williams, who is now fully dedicated to his signature 1017 Alyx 9SM brand.
According to sources, Givenchy has held discussions with a variety of candidate profiles for the plum Paris post, including marquee designers such as Galliano and Sarah Burton, prominent second-in-command talents such as Martina Tiefenthaler, a longtime deputy of Balenciaga’s Demna, and key members of the Givenchy design studio.
It is understood the search has yet to be concluded.
Valenti joined Vuitton in 2014, initially as managing director of France and Monaco, after nearly three years as senior vice president of retail at Polo Ralph Lauren.
He has also held senior retail and operations positions at Giorgio Armani and Gianni Versace, according to his LinkedIn profile.
A business administration graduate from Bocconi University in Milan, Valenti started his career as a financial controller at IT company Bull and retailer Carrefour in Italy.
Valenti’s appointment underscores the penchant of Givenchy parent LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton to groom and promote 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 appointed CEO of Fendi, in addition to his role as managing director of LVMH Fashion Group, which includes such brands as Kenzo, Marc Jacobs, Pucci, Stella McCartney, Patou and Off-White. Angeloglou had previously spent five years at Vuitton.
Valenti’s successor at Vuitton is Beatrice Monguidi, who moved over from the men’s business unit at Christian Dior Couture.
