Can Lanvin, France’s third-oldest fashion house, be revived? New CEO Jean-Philippe Hecquet thinks so
Chinese conglomerate Fosun, which bought Lanvin in 2018, hopes that its long-term commitment and clear vision will take the 130-year-old brand to a much wider stage
The latest instalment in our series with luxury CEOs. This month: Jean-Philippe Hecquet, CEO of Lanvin
Founded by Jeanne Lanvin in Paris in 1889, and acquired by Chinese conglomerate Fosun in 2018, Lanvin is turning 130 years old. How does new CEO Jean-Philippe Hecquet plan to revive France’s third oldest fashion house?
Q. What has changed since Fosun acquired Lanvin?
A. As the oldest French fashion house in operation, with 130 years of history, Lanvin has chosen Fosun as a shareholder and partner that truly understands and appreciates our heritage. [Fosun] has strong long-term commitment and a clear vision to take the brand to the next stage.
As a family-focused multinational corporation rooted in China, Fosun has the right and unique position and resources to bring Lanvin to a much wider stage. The group and Lanvin have generated lots of synergy in the Chinese market, as well as on a global scale, thanks to Fosun’s extensive footprint across the world.
Q. What is your vision for the brand?
A. Our vision for Lanvin is clear. We want to bring this beautiful and unique brand back to life among the leading luxury fashion houses.
Q. How do you plan to achieve that?
A. We have worked first on redefining the whole organisation over the past 12 months, making it lighter, more agile and more adapted to future growth. Our recovery will, of course, come from appealing new collections designed by Bruno, where accessories will be at the heart of our product strategy. We will also focus on increasing our brand awareness in our key markets (France, the US, China, the UK and Italy) through a strong communication plan. In terms of distribution, we want to offer an omnichannel with flagships in key fashion capitals supported by a full digital presence and services.
