Gabriela Hearst has named Giuseppe Giovannetti chief executive officer. He joined the company last year in a consulting role. Prior to that he held the role of president of Americas at Bottega Veneta in 2011, before moving to ceo at Tomas Maier in 2014. Giovannetti will report to Gabriela Hearst’s board of directors, and focus on developing the brand’s global distribution in key international markets, managing production in Italy and overseeing the design and production teams in New York.
Giovannetti is Hearst’s first ceo. Since launching the brand three years ago, she’s been overseeing both the creative and business side. She made the decision to scout for a ceo a year ago when she began putting into motion plans for her first store, set to open on Madison Avenue in November.
“I knew more or less where we would be in terms of volume for the company, and I knew that there were going to be new challenges and new opportunities,” said Hearst. “And for the retail component — for that I have no experience at all. I wanted to make sure I don’t spread myself too thin and I can go back to focus on the product and the quality.”
Hearst added that Giovannetti experience with luxury and working with Italian suppliers aligned with her mission. “He doesn’t compromise on quality, and in a world where everybody wants higher margins, to find a partner like this is incredible,” said Hearst. “Giuseppe has a strong cfo background and he’s Italian, which is important for managing all of our different suppliers. I consider myself a luxury designer, and if you don’t know where everything comes from and who your supplier is, then you don’t understand luxury.”