Etro names Fabrizio Cardinali as chief executive officer

Luxury fashion house Etro has named Dolce and Gabbana executive Fabrizio Cardinali as its new chief executive officer, effective fourth quarter 2021.

Cardinali joins from Dolce and Gabbana, where he held several roles with the company, most recently as chief operating officer and as an executive member of the board since June 2017. He also spent five years within Richemont, where he held the role of chief executive officer of several luxury fashion brands of the group, including Dunhill and Lancel.

In a statement, Etro states that Cardinali brings “more than 25 years of strategic leadership expertise and an unmatched track record of driving international brand growth in the luxury fashion space”.

New CEO at Etro

As chief executive officer, Cardinali will work closely with and be supported by consumer-focused private equity firm L Catterton, which announced a strategic partnership with the business in July 2021, as well as the Etro family, including founder and chairman Gerolamo Etro.

Commenting on his appointment, Cardinali said in a statement: “I am thrilled by the opportunity to join Etro during such an exciting time for this iconic fashion house. I have long admired the company’s heritage and its distinctive Italian style and craftsmanship.

“I look forward to working closely with L Catterton, the Etro family, and the entire leadership team to capitalise on a number of exciting opportunities to grow the customer base and expand our category offerings and international footprint.”

Luigi Feola, managing partner and head of Europe at L Catterton, added: “We are delighted to welcome Fabrizio to Etro. Having established himself as an unparalleled leader in luxury fashion with incredible vision and creative energy, his depth of expertise and operational acumen make him well-suited to drive this new chapter of growth as we look to build on Etro’s incredible legacy around the world.”

Etro founder and chairman Gerolamo Etro said: “As we enter into this meaningful new phase for the company, we are pleased to welcome an experienced and bright manager like Fabrizio. I am convinced that his vision and knowledge of the business will strongly contribute to enhance Etro’s future growth and strengthen its positioning as a leading fashion brand in the global luxury scene.”