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Exclusive: Sonia Rykiel appoints new managing director
Sonia Rykiel appointed Perry Oosting as the brand’s managing director at the last general meeting, FashionNetwork.com has learned. The exec began in the role on 18 July.
Eric Langon, who was the Managing Director of the French fashion house since 2012, is therefore leaving the role and his function as administrator for the business. The executive, former operations manager at Lancel and CFO at Céline, first arrived alongside the first investment into the label from First Heritage Brands. In 2016, the investment fund went on to acquire 100 percent of the French fashion house, shortly after the death of Sonia Rykiel.
In 2016, the label announced its reorganisation, with the intention of reinvigorating the business. As part of this strategy, children’s collections were outsourced; a store was opened in Madrid; and the brand’s management evolved. For its fiftieth anniversary, the house staged several events including a one-off runway show during Paris Haute Couture Week, on June 30, for which Julie de Libran revisited the brand’s most iconic pieces from throughout the years.
Whether it was a change of era or just a bad fit, the brand now has a new head. The Amsterdam-based executive Oosting appears to be the man in whom Marc Loubier, head of First Heritage Brands (which he founded with the powerful Fung family from Hong Kong), has put his trust. As a luxury specialist, former director at Prada, Gucci, and Bulgari, Oosting has worked as the managing director of Clergerie for the past year, another of First Heritage Brand’s subsidiaries amongst other brands including the Belgian leather goods brand Delvaux and Sonia Rykiel Perfume and Beauty.
Sonia Rykiel's board of directors, headed by Jean-Marc Loubier, consists of a group including Julie de Libran and some close to Fung Investment, such as Monica Tsui, Giles Hefer and Martin Angus.
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