Riccardo Bellini, the former Diesel and Maison Margiela executive who has served as Chloé’s chief executive since late 2019, will exit the brand at the end of December, parent company Richemont said in a statement Wednesday.
Laurent Malecaze, currently chief executive of Chloé owner Richemont’s British menswear brand Dunhill, will take over the role. Malecaze previously worked at US retailer The Webster (as chief operating officer, then CEO) before joining Richemont to help create its AZ Factory venture with designer Alber Elbaz, who passed away in April 2021. He moved to Dunhill in 2022.
Bellini presided over Chloé during a period of creative and commercial turbulence as the brand struggled to reinvigorate demand for its top-priced boho-chic propositions amid fierce competition from logo-driven megabrands, while also navigating the pandemic.
He worked alongside Louis Vuitton-alum Natacha Ramsay-Levi for a year before bringing on Uruguay-born, US-based designer Gabriela Hearst. Alongside Hearst, Bellini sought to modernise and elevate the brand, emphasising sustainability through initiatives like earning B-Corp certification, while also pushing more intricate, artisanal products and phasing out the “See by Chloé” diffusion line.
Hearst left the brand in September, replaced by Chemena Kamali, previously Saint Laurent’s design director for women’s ready-to-wear, who is expected to supercharge Chloé’s feminine, Parisienne codes.
Bellini’s decision to exit the brand was made “in full collaboration with the group to allow a proper completion of his mission and a smooth onboarding and start of the new creative director,” Richemont said.
While market sources said Bellini is leaving for another opportunity, BoF could not yet confirm where the executive is headed.
