I read with great interest the recent hiring of Angela Ahrendts by Apple. Ahrendts is the former CEO of British luxury brand Burberry. She, along with lead designer Christopher Bailey, was instrumental in turning the old, stodgy company with declining sales into a fashion icon. The duo tripled the company’s earnings and turned the brand into a global success story.
Knowing Ahrendts’s strengths, I believe you can tell a lot about a company’s direction by the people they hire. The official announcement indicated Ahrendts joined Apple to revitalize its retail stores, which represent $20 billion in sales. Store sales have lost some of its luster and the actual concept created by Steve Jobs is now close to ten years old. The question is: what direction will Ahrendts take the chain? More importantly, what influence will she have on the style and direction of its products?
No comments:
Post a Comment