Kate Spade has new chief executive
Tapestry has appointed Anna Bakst as chief executive and brand president of its Kate Spade brand.
Bakst has replaced Craig Leavitt who decided to leave the business in 2017 after Tapestry acquired Kate Spade.
In her new role, Bakst will be responsible for all aspects of Kate Spade globally and will report to Victor Luis, Tapestry’s chief executive. Luis has been leading the brand in an interim capacity since Leavitt’s departure.
Luis said: “The appointment of Anna Bakst marks another key step in the evolution of the Kate Spade brand. She brings a rare combination of business acumen, directly related fashion experience and strong leadership skills to the company. Together with recently appointed creative director Nicola Glass, we now have the right senior management in place to lead the talented Kate Spade brand team and drive the business globally.”
Most recently, Bakst was group president of accessories and footwear at Michael Kors where she led the global design, production and merchandising teams, and also oversaw domestic wholesale distribution.
Prior to joing Michael Kors in 2003, she had a 12-year career at Donna Karan where she was president of accessories and footwear.
Luis added: “Anna’s focus on product innovation – notably in the key categories of accessories and footwear – will be a key pillar of the Kate Spade growth strategy. Her deep experience in design, development and merchandising, and her global consumer knowledge will be invaluable assets propelling Kate Spade’s next chapter of growth.”
New York based Tapestry is also the owner of Coach and Stuart Weitzman.
