Simona Cattaneo, a beauty and fashion executive with experience at Coty, L’Oréal, Burberry and Dior beauty, will join Chanel as president of fragrance and beauty in October, the fashion house announced today.
She joins from Tod’s, where she was appointed general manager in 2021. Tod’s was her first high-profile fashion role, having specialised in beauty previously.
Cattaneo succeeds Anne Kirby, who had been with the luxury French fashion house for 35 years in various functions, including as fragrance and beauty president since 2018. Her retirement was confirmed in July to take place by year-end.
Under Kirby’s tenure, the division built on the enduring popularity of its core products such as the N°5 fragrance, as well as adding buzzy new ambassadors such as the actor Timothée Chalamet for Bleu de Chanel perfume. It also saw the launch of a sustainability-focused skincare line called N°1 de Chanel in 2022.
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CFO Philippe Blondiaux told BoF the division’s e-commerce sales grew 32 percent last year. The French luxury brand also opened 50 new stand-alone beauty boutiques as it reduces its historic dependence on wholesale partners.