Former Chloé VP Kimberly Mimnaugh joins Manolo Blahnik as Americas MD

Manolo Blahnik has named Kimberly Mimnaugh as managing director of the Americas, effective immediately, the luxury footwear and accessories brand said on Monday.

Mimnaugh will oversee the delivery and execution of commercial strategy for Manolo Blahnik Americas, the brand's New York-based subsidiary, across retail, wholesale and e-commerce, and will hold overall accountability for operations in the region. She will also act as a brand ambassador in the U.S., overseeing the senior management team and, in the company's words, nurturing its family culture and values. Mimnaugh reports to chief commercial officer Elodie Bougenault.

She joins from Chloé, where she was vice president of North America retail, with responsibility for merchandising and buying, retail operations, learning and development, store planning and visual merchandising. In that role she led the label's shift from wholesale to retail, launching its handbag concession model in a leading U.S. department store, and developed a regional sales-recognition and client-development program that has since been adapted globally.

Mimnaugh was previously senior vice president of North America retail at Theory/Helmut Lang, where she led retail operations, store design, visual merchandising and financial planning. Before that, she was managing director of North America at Brunello Cucinelli, focused on controlled brand distribution and reshaping the retail footprint.

Kristina Blahnik, chief executive officer of Manolo Blahnik, said Mimnaugh brings "an exceptional combination of luxury retail expertise and commercial leadership." She added: "Her proven ability to accelerate direct-to-consumer growth while maintaining a strong wholesale business makes her ideally placed to lead this next phase of our growth in the Americas."

Mimnaugh said she was joining "at such a pivotal moment for the brand in the Americas," pointing to the label's standing in luxury and its craftsmanship. "Having spent my career working with luxury brands to build controlled, sustainable market positions, I understand both the opportunity and the discipline required to grow direct-to-consumer channels while strengthening the wholesale and retail balance," she said.

North America remains an important growth market for Manolo Blahnik, which operates four stores in the region, most recently opening at South Coast Plaza in California. The brand is distributed across more than 200 doors globally, including over 23 standalone stores, runs its own e-commerce platforms and launched e-commerce in China in 2025.