Tod’s Creative Chief to Step Down — Retail Bum

Italian luxury fashion brand Tod’s and its creative chief Walter Chiapponi have mutually agreed to part ways — four years after Chiapponi began serving in the role.

The 45-year-old designer is expected to present his last womenswear collection during the brand’s Spring Summer 2024 show at the Milan Fashion Week. His replacement is yet to be named.

“We thank Walter for the journey we have walked together, for his creativity, and for the commitment we have shared together,” said Diego Della Valle, Tod’s chairman and chief executive.

Before joining Tod’s, Chiapponi worked for several global luxury brands, such as Bottega Veneta, Givenchy, Gucci, and Valentino.

His exit from Tod’s comes at a time when the company’s business is seeing strong growth in sales. During Q1, the company’s sales increased by 23.2%, reaching €270.5 million ($301.3 million).

“The macro-economic environment remains unpredictable, but considering the good sales trends we experienced in April and the excellent orders’ backlog for the winter collections, I’m confident about the group’s future results,” Della Valle said during the earnings release.

In January 2023, the company recorded $1.09 billion in revenue, marking a 13.9% increase from 2021 and a 10% increase from 2019 pre-pandemic levels.

These improvements have resulted from Tod’s continued efforts to revamp its brand image and product line and increase its appeal to younger shoppers.

Photo credit: TOD’S

Originally published at https://retailbum.com on July 13, 2023.