Former Givenchy creative head Riccardo Tisci will assume the role of Chief Creative Officer of Burberry
It has just been announced that former Givenchy creative head Riccardo Tisci will assume the role of Chief Creative Officer of Burberry. Tisci joins Burberry after more than a decade at Givenchy, where he succeeded creative giants like Alexander McQueen and Julien Macdonald in 2005 to take the role of Creative Director for both menswear and women’s couture.
“Riccardo’s creative vision will reinforce the ambitions we have for Burberry and position the brand firmly in luxury,” Marco Gobbetti, Burberry CEO
Riccardo Tisci was noted for changing Givenchy’s house codes with his own style and influences, giving the Parisian fashion house dark and sensual romanticism and an extended colour palette, exploring flashy colors, like baby blue, blood red, metallic hues, and floral prints. Tisci announced his resignation from Givenchy in February 2017. After 12 years, Tisci will officially become Burberry’s new Chief Creative Officer on 12 March 2018. Tisci joins Burberry filling Christopher Bailey’s creative duties.
Givenchy under Tisci. SS 2014
Riccardo Tisci becomes New Chief Creative Officer of Burberry in March 2018
In October 2017, it was announced that Christopher Bailey, a 14 year veteran who joined Burberry in 2001 and eventually became CEO and Chief Creative Officer in 2014, was leaving the brand in 2018. Bailey had presided over Burberry’s incredible transformation and enormous success as Chief Creative Officer but didn’t quite seem to be able to handle the portfolio of Chief Executive Officer. After three rocky years during which Mr. Bailey juggled both his creative and management responsibilities, Marco Gobbetti of Céline was tapped to become Burberry’s new Chief Executive
Christopher Bailey was notable for doing three things at the British brand:
- Every collection became an opportunity for Bailey to draw inspiration and nostalgia from British culture, class, experience and weather. In doing so, he returned the signature Burberry trench now reinvented in a variety of styles back to cultural and fashion relevance. He applied this qualities to Wellington boots and Fair Isle knits and re-introduced ’60s-style leather with rock ‘n’ roll flair.
- Bailey also focused on British stars like Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Cara Delevingne and Sienna Miller and up-and-coming male singers like James Bay and Tom Odell.
- Under Bailey, Burberry also became the first brand in the fashion world to embrace digital technology long before it became a buzzword. Burberry became the first British brand to live-stream and live-tweet its shows, and even showcase on YouTube video.
It was a golden period for Burberry until then Chief Executive Angela Ahrendts left for Apple in 2013. Investors were uneasy when the Board Chairman Sir John Peace, agreed to Bailey’s request to take over Ms Ahrendts’ commercial duties while keeping charge of design. From that point, Burberry suffered. Stores began to plummet like never before, leading Bloomberg to comment that: Bailey’s double duty as CEO and creative director of Burberry always looked “as unwearable as one of the fashion label’s lace shirts.”
A chart from Financial Times tracking Burberry’s plummeting sales under Chief Executive Bailey
In August 2017, Burberry announced that it would appoint Bailey as President (a newly created role) and appoint a new CEO. It was rumoured that Bailey was ousted following a vote by board members. While the Executive shake-up carried negative perception, the announcement of Marco Gobbetti, the former head of Celine, as new Chief Executive caused Burberry shares to jump 7.2%.
Gobbetti had this to say on Riccardo Tisci’s appointment as new Burberry Creative Chief, “I am delighted that Riccardo is joining Burberry as Chief Creative Officer. Riccardo is one of the most talented designers of our time. His designs have an elegance that is contemporary and his skill in blending streetwear with high fashion is highly relevant to today’s luxury consumer. Riccardo’s creative vision will reinforce the ambitions we have for Burberry and position the brand firmly in luxury.”
Following the announcement of Riccardo Tisci’s appointment as new Burberry Creative Chief, the British brand’s shares were up 5.64% at press time.
Announcement of Riccardo Tisci as new Chief Creative Officer of Burberry sent share prices up 5%
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