Courrèges names Marie Leblanc as its new CEO

​Courrèges has a new CEO and it’s no surprise to learn that Marie Leblanc has the role following the news earlier this month of her exit from Victoria Beckham’s top job.

She’d been at Victoria Beckham as CEO since 2019 and Kering’s holding company Artemis, which owns Courrèges, said she’ll take up her new post as of 4 November.

The new chief executive will work alongside Nicolas Di Felice, the brand’s artistic director with the duo “set to guide Courrèges through an exciting new phase of growth. Marie Leblanc’s mission will be to accelerate Courrèges’ expansion and strengthen the organization, while supporting its creative momentum,” Artemis added.

So what won her the post? In the official release about her appointment, François-Henri Pinault, chairman and CEO of Kering and Artemis, said that her “unique talent lies in her ability to fully immerse herself in the creative process, ensuring it remains constantly aligned with the brand’s identity, while crafting an operational strategy that supports and enhances this creative vision. This is precisely what Courrèges needs to continue its growth trajectory.”

He also  “wholeheartedly” thanked Adrien Da Maia, “who has skillfully led the renewal of Courrèges since 2020, allowing the brand to be well positioned for a new successful chapter in its history”. 

Da Maia now intends to “pursue an entrepreneurial project”, we’re told.

Leblanc said of the company she’s set to lead that “Courrèges embodies a clear purpose, blending rigor and movement, impeccable cuts and high standards, with the opportunity to connect with diverse customers. I am looking forward to meeting the teams and working with them to unlock Courrèges’ vast potential”.

As mentioned, she was CEO at Victoria Beckham since just before the pandemic and oversaw a turnaround and growth at that business.  

She previously headed the Womenswear operation and buying strategy for the Printemps department store and started her career at the design studio of Isabel Marant, later running collection development at Celine and Sonia Rykiel.