More change is coming to St. John Knits in what’s become a perennial play for the Anaheim-based luxury knit house.
St. John parent Lanvin Group said Thursday it named the knitwear label’s CEO Andy Lew executive vice president of the group. He’ll oversee the business from new European headquarters.
While Lanvin said Lew remains a “key leader” at St. John, a new management committee will be created to oversee day-to-day operations.
Lew had been CEO of St. John since 2021, when he assumed the top spot on a temporary basis before being made permanent chief executive the following year.
Lanvin’s portfolio also includes its namesake label in addition to Sergio Rossi, Wolford and Caruso.
Lanvin Group, which is publicly traded, last reported results for its brands’ in August with half-year results.
At the time, St. John revenue contracted 14 percent to $41.2 million, based on current exchange rates, in the first half of 2024. That was driven by declines in direct-to-consumer and wholesale, with the two channels falling 15 percent and 13 percent, respectively.
North America revenue slipped 10 percent, with the region the label’s biggest business. Asia-Pacific revenue for St. John dropped 46 percent and accounts for less than 10 percent of overall sales.
Lanvin Group Executive Vice President and CFO David Chan told analysts at the time of the company’s half-year results the brand had several “highly successful” marketing campaigns during the financial period, including the opening of a new flagship on Madison Avenue in New York.
“The brand’s efforts to revamp its product and image have paid off,” Chan told analysts. “The brand refresh and effective marketing campaign have attracted a whole new, younger demographic to the brand and can be seen by the marked increase in social media followers.”
Executive Merry-Go-Round
St. John’s search for relevance with the coming of each new generation has been its strategy for years now.
Long the go-to label for socialites and politicians, with its smart suiting and conservative cuts, the brand been in constant search of reinvention for younger consumers.
In 2005 it tapped Angelina Jolie to be the face of the brand. The position had long been held by Kelly Gray whose parents, Robert and Marie Gray, founded St. John in 1962. Jolie didn’t resonate with long-time customers.
Jolie was replaced by model Karen Elson in 2010. That was followed by Kate Winslet in 2011.
As the public face of the brand continued to morph, so too did its backend.
Leadership changes have been frequent since the departure of CEO Glenn McMahon in 2012 following the company’s sale to Fosun Fashion Group. Lanvin Group later spun out of Fosun.
After McMahon left, Geoffroy van Raemdonck assumed the top spot in July 2013. The former Louis Vuitton south Europe region president didn’t stay long and left the following year. Then Bruce Fetter, a 15-year St. John Knits veteran, stepped in as CEO before he retired in 2018, succeeded by Eran Cohen. Three years later, Cohen was replaced by Andy Lew on an interim basis and then permanently in 2022.
Throughout this period of time, layoff hit as the knit house contracted.
Last year, it moved from its long-time headquarters and manufacturing plant in Irvine to Anaheim with a spokesperson telling the Orange County Business Journal the move marked the “next chapter” for St. John.
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