Diane von Furstenberg plans to take back her global fashion business in-house by year-end, ending her firm’s current licensing deal with Chinese distributor, Glamel.
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In 2020, the U.S. luxury brand switched a digital-first and China-focused wholesale strategy, after years of declining sales, appointing Glamel Trading Limited as manufacturer and merchandiser for the DVF brand.
Under the new deal, Glamel will only handle distribution of DVF product in the greater China region going forward.
Coinciding with the operations shake-up, the New York-based company has appointed Graziano de Boni to the role of chief executive officer. De Boni, who previously held roles at Philipp Plein, Armani and Prada, joined DVF in October 2023, and was charged with developing a product and brand strategy for the struggling fashion brand. De Boni reports to the DVF board.
In a statement released by the company, de Boni said, “When I joined DVF ten months ago, I was asked to develop a plan for the legacy of the brand. Immersing myself into the history of DVF, I found not only the iconic wrap dress that continues to sell after 50 years, but also a vast archive of prints and fabrics that revealed a unique and strong design vocabulary.
“Furthermore, I was amazed by the richness and breadth of content material and by the authentic personal relationship multigenerational women have with DVF. All of this is very relevant for today’s digital-first landscape of retail and social media. Regaining control of the design and narrative of our brand was the first necessary step to re-imagining our business model for the future.”
Diane von Furstenberg said in a statement: “Graziano has spent considerable time this year working with the product and focusing on building the brand strategy. To execute on this strategy, it was necessary that our operations return in-house. I am very excited to support Graziano’s leadership redesigning the company as he surrounds himself with talent that understands the zeitgeist of today and respects and appreciates the richness of the assets of the past.
“I am very grateful to Glamel, our Chinese distributor, who has managed the global business of DVF from the end of 2020 to the present and look forward to our continued relationship, as they continue to distribute DVF in greater China for many years to come,” von Furstenberg added.