Stefano Cantino’s transition to Gucci and the evolving landscape of fashion leadership

The ongoing shift among top fashion executives continues, with the latest development being the appointment of Stefano Cantino as deputy chief executive officer at Gucci. This appointment confirms the emergence of a new generation of business leaders at the helm of luxury conglomerates. This wave of change has swept through Kering and Lvmh, impacting even groups like Prada and Moncler.

Cantino’s arrival at the Florentine maison follows a five-year tenure at Louis Vuitton, where he oversaw the Brand’s communication and image strategies. In his new role, Cantino will collaborate with Jean-François Palus, already the right-hand man of François-Henri Pinault, to define and implement Gucci’s strategic vision. «Since Palus’s arrival, bringing considerable expertise in numbers but lacking extensive product experience, the concept of a dual leadership at the helm of Gucci has been under consideration», a top manager from a luxury listed company explains to MFF. Meanwhile, analysts eagerly await from the sidelines to assess the potential of this strategic move. Cantino will assume his duties on May 2, reporting directly to Jean-François Palus, the president and ceo of Gucci. According to Francesca Bellettini, deputy ceo of Kering, responsible for the group’s brand development, «Stefano will bring a valuable contribution to Jean-François Palus’s established leadership and to Sabato De Sarno’s strong creativity. Together with them and the entire Gucci team, we will write a new chapter of success for this iconic brand».

Cantino, a political science graduate from the University of Turin, brings over two decades of experience from the Prada group, where he held progressively senior roles in marketing and sales before assuming the position of communication & marketing director. Despite the magnitude of these changes, not even nine months have passed since the announcement of Marco Bizzarri’s departure from Gucci. Bizzarri, who served as ceo since 2015, was a member of the executive committee since 2012, and was part of Kering for 18 years, left the company on July 18 last year. He remained with the company until Sabato De Sarno’s first show. Bizzarri played a pivotal role in Kering’s management team, and his return with new ventures like Nessifashion (which recently invested in Elisabetta Franchi, aiming to take it towards its first billion in revenue) and Forel is making headlines.

On that same July 18, Francesca Bellettini positioned herself for a coordinating role, second only to François-Henri Pinault. Joining Kering in 2003, she initially worked at Gucci, then at Bottega Veneta, before assuming leadership at Yves Saint Laurent in 2013. Under her guidance, the brand’s revenue skyrocketed from 550 million euros to nearly 3 billion a decade later. In her new role, «ceos of all brands will report to her, and she will be responsible for guiding all the fashion houses of the Group through their next phases of growth». Her role mirrors that of Toni Belloni at rival Lvmh for many years. And if numbers hold weight in this high-stakes game of new luxury management, the number 18 could be a symbolic figure. It will be after the upcoming general assembly on April 18 that Bernard Arnault’s right-hand man will step down from the pivotal position he has held for 23 years. He will remain within the group, undertaking strategic missions alongside Arnault and assuming the role of President of Lvmh Italy. Stepping into Belloni’s shoes will be Stéphane Bianchi, who joined Lvmh in 2018 as president and ceo of Tag Heuer and of the watches division. In his new role, he will now preside over the executive committee and, alongside Arnault, strategically and operationally guide the group’s fashion houses.

Another executive from Louis Vuitton has recently transitioned to Lvmh’s fashion division, in what seems to be a crucial piece in the group’s generational shift. Pierre-Emmanuel Angeloglou, formerly Louis Vuitton’s executive vice president in charge of strategic missions, now serves as managing director of the unit under the supervision of Michael Burke. Angeloglou, 49, previously worked with Burke during Burke’s tenure as Louis Vuitton’s ceo. Burke, 67, assumed the position earlier this year, succeeding Sidney Toledano, another longstanding executive of the French company, at the helm of Lvmh’s fashion division, which includes brands like Loewe, Celine, and Givenchy, among others. Louis Vuitton and Dior are not part of this unit. In his new role, Angeloglou directly manages a portfolio comprising Fendi, Kenzo, Marc Jacobs, Pucci, Stella McCartney, Patou, and Off-White. Meanwhile, stepping into Stefano Cantino’s shoes is Blake Harrop from Vuitton.

«His background as a professional judoka, similar to my own sports background, gives me confidence in his ability to instill passion and foster cohesion within his new team at Louis Vuitton», ceo Pietro Beccari, another notable figure from Lvmh, explains. Before entering the fashion world, Beccari pursued a career as a professional footballer. It was Arrigo Sacchi who, during his time at Parma, ended Beccari’s playing career by confronting him with the fact that he was not a champion. Beccari came from the youth academy and even played against Platini’s Juventus. While the two industry giants undergo profound transformations, other groups are also undergoing changes. Robert Triefus, a manager with a professional trajectory similar to Cantino’s, has shifted from Gucci to Remo Ruffini’s Moncler group. Meanwhile, Prada has placed its bets on Andrea Guerra, who, in an interview with MFF, outlined his vision aimed at doubling the size of Patrizio Bertelli’s and Miuccia Prada’s Group. The numbers are proving him right. (All rights reserved)