MILAN — It didn’t last long.
Serge Brunschwig is leaving Jil Sander and parent OTB Group after only six months.
The executive had joined Jil Sander in February as its chief executive officer and chief strategy officer of the brand’s parent OTB Group.
He was previously Fendi’s chairman and CEO.
At Jil Sander, he succeeded Luca Lo Curzio, who has since joined K-Way as CEO.
On Wednesday, the executive posted on LinkedIn that it was “the last day of my mission for #Jil Sander. I would like to thank the team for what we achieved, getting this beautiful brand prepared for its next chapter, and the OTB group for the trust they have placed in me. We all love Jil Sander, its purity and its mix of classicism and modernity. My best wishes to Jil Sander and the OTB Group for the future!”
Asked for a comment, Jil Sander confirmed Brunschwig will exit the brand on Thursday “for personal reasons.” The brand and OTB “wish to thank Serge for his contribution during his mandate.” OTB CEO Ubaldo Minelli will take on Brunschwig’s responsibilities. “Jil Sander remains fully engaged in guaranteeing strategic and operational continuity, in the respect of the company objectives and commitments toward partners, clients and stakeholders.”
Brunschwig leaves Jil Sander ahead of the debut collection in September by the new creative director Simone Bellotti, who exited Bally to join the brand in March, succeeding Luke and Lucie Meier.
Brunschwig reported to Minelli, who at the time of the appointment said “Serge will aim to further elevate the positioning of this brand with invaluable potential, carefully and strategically guiding its growth trajectory. Thanks to his experience and international vision, he will also contribute to defining an even more ambitious strategic path for OTB.”
Brunschwig was named chairman and CEO of Fendi in February 2018, succeeding Pietro Beccari, who moved over to Dior and is now at Louis Vuitton. Brunschwig exited Fendi at the end of May last year. Before Fendi, Brunschwig was Dior Homme’s chairman and CEO from 2015. He’s recognized for his extensive experience in luxury retail, operations and brand management, building Dior Homme’s retail network and developing its ready-to-wear and accessories.
He had joined Christian Dior Couture in 2008 as chief operating officer.
Low-key and methodical, a graduate of Ecole Polytechnique, Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications and Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris, Brunschwig joined LVMH in 1995, working for Louis Vuitton and Sephora, with a particular expertise in emerging markets like Asia and the Middle East. From 1995 to 1999 he headed the Vuitton business in Southeast Asia, ultimately rising to president of LVMH Fashion Group for the Asia-Pacific region.
Before joining Dior, Brunschwig served as chairman and CEO of Celine from 2006.
OTB, founded by Renzo Rosso, also comprises Diesel, Maison Margiela, Marni, Viktor & Rolf and a stake in Amiri, as well as production arms Staff International and Brave Kid.