PARIS – Balenciaga has promoted Nathalie Raynaud, a key architect of its current purse successes, to deputy chief govt officer, bolstering its govt ranks because it prepares to call a brand new artistic director.
Raynaud, who joined the model in 2021 and most just lately served as chief product officer, takes on the brand new function efficient instantly and stories to CEO Gianfranco Gianangeli, Balenciaga stated in an announcement shared first with WWD. She succeeds Laura du Rusquec, who left final 12 months to turn into CEO of Ganni.
Raynaud, who has held merchandising, improvement and retail roles at manufacturers together with Dior, Louis Vuitton and Lanvin, was instrumental in driving equipment at Balenciaga underneath inventive director Demna, who is about to wrap his tenure on the home with an high fashion present on July 9 earlier than shifting to fellow Kering-owned label Gucci.
She oversaw the rollout of the Cagole, Rodeo and Bel Air bag launches, in addition to the relaunch of Le Metropolis. Equipment have proved a vivid spot for Balenciaga amid an in any other case difficult luxurious panorama.
“In her new function, Nathalie Raynaud’s mission will likely be to proceed bringing a strategic, artistic, and product-driven imaginative and prescient, that aligns with the home’s goals to drive gross sales development, affect, and strengthen market place,” the model stated.
Balenciaga’s 2025 Excessive Summer season marketing campaign.
Roe Ethridge/Courtesy of Balenciaga
Contacted by WWD, Gianangeli stated the appointment would assist lay the bottom for the following chapter.
“Nathalie has performed a key function in shaping our product technique, establishing our present success within the leather-based items class, bringing readability and path to a necessary a part of our enterprise. Her appointment strengthens our strategic focus, particularly within the structure of our collections and product supply and ensures we’re able to assist the imaginative and prescient of our new artistic director,” he stated.
“At Balenciaga, the place tradition, group, and collaboration are on the coronary heart of what we do, it’s important that we transfer ahead with coherence and function — and Nathalie’s management will likely be central to that,” Gianangeli added.
In the meantime, Demna paid tribute to Raynaud’s contributions to the model’s development. “Working with Nathalie over the previous 4 years has been an unbelievable partnership. Her precision and dedication to Balenciaga has helped drive our success,” he instructed WWD through e-mail.
“I’m honored to tackle this new function and look ahead to constructing on Balenciaga’s success throughout all merchandise and departments,” Raynaud stated.
Demna and François-Henri Pinault at a
Gucci present in 2016.
Penske Media through Getty Photos
She started her profession in 2006 at Christian Dior Couture within the watches division, earlier than becoming a member of Louis Vuitton in 2008, the place she spent eight years in senior product and advertising and marketing roles throughout ladies’s leather-based items and equipment.
In 2016, she moved to SMCP, mother or father of latest labels Sandro, Maje and Claudie Pierlot, the place she launched and constructed the equipment enterprise unit. From 2019 to 2021, Raynaud was director of equipment and licensing at Lanvin, enjoying an vital function in the home’s repositioning following its acquisition by China’s Fosun.
Balenciaga mother or father firm Kering is within the midst of an formidable turnaround effort following two years of disappointing development. The group, which additionally owns manufacturers together with Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta and Alexander McQueen, reported a 14 % drop in revenues within the first quarter, lacking low expectations.
Since arriving at Balenciaga in 2015, Demna has revved up the heritage label with supersized tailoring, chunky sneakers, emblem tracksuits and drop-shoulder hoodies. Kering is relying on him to breathe new life into the ailing Gucci label, which noticed natural gross sales slide 25 % within the first quarter.
Francesca Bellettini, deputy CEO in control of model improvement at Kering, stated she was scouting a “excessive caliber” candidate to succeed Demna at Balenciaga. In keeping with market sources, the home has held discussions with designers together with Alaïa’s buzzy artistic director Pieter Mulier.