How LVMH and Kering are driving a new era of female leadership in luxury
Charlotte Coupé becomes CEO of Kenzo at LVMH, while Nathalie Berger-Duquene is appointed CEO of Creed at Kering Beauté
LVMH Leads the Shift: Female Executives Redefine Leadership in Fashion and Luxury
Female managers continue to gain ground at the helm of fashion and luxury brands.
Once again, LVMH has placed its confidence in a woman. A few days ago, Charlotte Coupé was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Kenzo, effective 1 May, and will join a cohort of female leaders that includes Delphine Arnault and Benedetta Petruzzo, Chairman & CEO and Managing Director of Christian Dior Couture, respectively; Pascale Lepoivre, CEO of Loewe; Laura Burdese, Deputy CEO of Bulgari; Cécile Cabanis, LVMH’s newly appointed Chief Financial Officer; and Maud Alvarez-Pereyre, Group Chief Human Resources Officer.
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In her new role, Coupé, who will report to Sidney Toledano, Senior Advisor to the LVMH Group Chairman, and who succeeds Sylvain Blanc, will draw on her extensive experience in fashion and leadership to enhance the brand’s desirability and continue the modernisation and global expansion of the French Maison.
“Her genuine passion for product, deep fashion knowledge and proven ability to collaborate with iconic and innovative creative directors, particularly at Louis Vuitton, where she managed the men’s ready-to-wear business unit, significantly contributed to the impressive growth of that category,” the company said in a statement.
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From Louis Vuitton to Kenzo: Charlotte Coupé Named CEO in Arnault Group’s Strategic Appointment
LVMH did not have to look far to find Charlotte Coupé. She joined Louis Vuitton in 2016 as Men’s Ready-to-Wear Director and currently serves as Business Unit Director for Men’s Ready-to-Wear at the group’s flagship brand.
Coupé began her career at Ralph Lauren in 2006, starting in customer service before taking on increasing responsibilities in menswear merchandising. Her experience also includes a role as Senior Product Director for Menswear at Lacoste, which she joined in 2013.
While little else is publicly known about her, LVMH’s leadership has expressed confidence in her ability to strengthen Kenzo’s positioning and appeal.
Nathalie Berger-Duquene to Lead Creed as CEO Amid Kering Beauté’s Strategic Push
Charlotte Coupé’s appointment at Kenzo reflects a broader trend of increasing female leadership within the fashion and luxury sector. Reinforcing this momentum, Kering, which is a major competitor to LVMH in the French luxury market, appointed Nathalie Berger-Duquene as Chief Executive Officer of Creed just one day later, effective May 6.
Based in London, Nathalie Berger-Duquene will report to Raffaella Cornaggia, the CEO of Kering Beauté, and will also serve as a member of Kering Beauté’s executive committee. In her new role, she will oversee Creed’s next phase of growth and development, supported by the global teams from both Creed and Kering Beauté.
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With over 25 years of experience in the beauty and fragrance industries, she began her career at LVMH, working with Guerlain. In 2005, she transitioned to L’Oréal, where she held various international marketing and general management roles for Lancôme and Armani Beauty & Designer Brands.
In 2019, Nathalie Berger-Duquene joined the Estée Lauder Group as General Manager for EMEA for Tom Ford Beauty and Kilian Paris. She later became Senior Vice President for Global Marketing, Online and Communications at Tom Ford Beauty. Since 2022, she has been leading the development of Balmain Beauty as the Global General Brand Manager.
From Kering and Beyond: Women Shaping the Future of Global High-End Brands
The momentum for women in leadership within fashion and luxury shows no sign of slowing.
Alongside Coupé and Berger-Duquene are prominent figures such as Francesca Bellettini and Silvia Onofri. Recently, Onofri succeeded Benedetta Petruzzo as the head of Miu Miu following Petruzzo’s move to Christian Dior Couture in October after four years with the Prada Group. Francesca Bellettini is perhaps the most powerful woman in fashion today; in 2023, she was promoted to Deputy CEO for Brand Development at Kering after a decade as the President and CEO of Saint Laurent.
Kering’s list of high-ranking female executives also includes Raffaella Cornaggia at Kering Beauté, Sabina Belli at Pomellato, Maria Cristina Loranto, the General Manager of Gucci, and Marie-Claire Daveu, who serves as Chief Sustainability Officer and Head of International Institutional Affairs.
Elsewhere in the industry, Francesca di Carrobio is the CEO of Hermès Italy, Simona Cattaneo leads Chanel’s Fragrance & Beauty division as President, and Barbara Calò has recently become the first-ever CEO of Antonio Marras.
Clementina Bianchi
Editor