The Kooples: Marie Schott replaces Romain Guinier as GM
Shortly after introducing the first creations by AnaShaf, the lingerie label launched in early 2021 following two years of preparation work, French executive Marie Schott has taken on a new managerial challenge.
Schott, a former general manager of Undiz (from 2007 to 2012), and of Etam (from 2011 to 2018), has recently been hired by Swiss group MF Brands (also owner of Lacoste, Gant and Aigle) to take charge of French premium label The Kooples, which was acquired in 2019 by the Swiss group belonging to the Elicha family.
Schott replaces Romain Guinier, who was appointed general manager of The Kooples in mid-2019, after ten years at the helm of Aigle. Guinier notably accelerated the label’s digital transformation, and hired Creative Director Tom Van Dorpe. He has left the group in order to, in the customary business parlance, “pursue a new professional project.”
In a press release, Thierry Guibert, president of MF Brands, said: “I’m delighted for the arrival of Marie Schott, whose passion and energy I appreciate. Her entrepreneurial experience and her product know-how are major assets for the success of her mission. Now more than ever, we wish to boost our brands’ creativity and innovation. In recent years, Marie has proved she is up to this task, leading the repositioning of an iconic womenswear label and taking on other daring entrepreneurial challenges. We count on her talent and commitment to accelerate the growth of The Kooples even further.”
Schott is a graduate of the HEC business school, and started a career in management consultancy at Braxton Consulting, a company owned by the Deloitte group. She switched to the fashion sector in 2002, joining the Vivarte group, at the time one of France’s largest fashion corporations. She then joined lingerie group Etam to launch Undiz, the group’s label targeting younger consumers. While developing her own lingerie brand AnaShaf, an inclusive underwear line notably featuring wiring-free and seamless products, Schott joined the board of Maisons du Monde, which she left in early 2020.
The Kooples was founded in 2008 and currently operates some 340 monobrand stores worldwide, of which 200 in France. In 2019, the label generated a revenue of €220 million. Schott is the first woman to take charge of The Kooples, and her goal is to expand the label’s international and digital footprint, while at the same time boosting its appeal and creativity.
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