I. Deal Overview
Marco De Vincenzo parted ways with Etro by mutual agreement on March 12, according to multiple independent sources including WWD and Business of Fashion, ending a creative director tenure of nearly four years. The company's official statement described the move as consistent with a "new strategic phase" for the brand. Roughly six months later, no successor has been named, making the role one of the few major creative director positions in Italian fashion that remains vacant for this long.
By the end of Milan Fashion Week on September 28, will Etro officially announce a new creative director?
II. Brand Background: A Multi-Category House That Just Completed a Capital Restructuring
Etro was founded in Milan in 1968 by Gimmo Etro, and began producing its signature paisley motif — now the brand's most recognizable visual signature — in 1981. Today, its product lines span men's and women's ready-to-wear, accessories, home goods, and fragrance.
According to Wikipedia, the founding family, including members Kean, Jacopo, and Ippolito Etro, fully exited their ownership stake in the company in December 2025. That marked a significant turning point, effectively transferring what had been a family-run business into the hands of institutional capital.
III. Business Context: The Leadership Change Followed an Ownership Shake-Up
According to FashionUnited, a group of industrial investors — including Turkey-based Rams Global, Mathias Facchini of Swinger International, and Giulio Gallazzi of Sri Group — jointly acquired the minority stake previously held by the Etro family in December 2025. L Catterton remains the company's majority shareholder.
De Vincenzo's departure came after this ownership shift, and the company's own statement framed it as part of the "new strategic phase." It's worth noting, however, that no source has confirmed a direct causal link between the two events. What can be established is only the sequence in which they occurred — not that the new investors were behind the personnel change.
IV. The Outgoing Designer's Track Record
De Vincenzo took over in 2022, and his most notable contributions centered on accessories, an area he brought expertise to from his earlier work as a leather goods consultant at Fendi. Under his direction, the brand maintained its signature paisley pattern and the founder's travel-inspired aesthetic, while adding his own sensibility around color and material craftsmanship.
He also has a track record in commercial operations: he founded his own eponymous label in 2014, sold it to LVMH, and then bought it back in 2021. That history suggests Etro likely valued his business acumen as much as his design sensibility when he was brought on.
V. Current Signals: Comparing Industry Norms and Recent Cases
Looking at comparable recent transitions offers some context. Jil Sander named Simone Bellotti as its new creative director about a month after Lucie and Luke Meier departed. Marni similarly named Meryll Rogge within roughly a month of Francesco Risso's exit. These cases suggest that most Italian and European houses of similar scale tend to announce a successor within one to two months.
Etro's roughly six-month vacancy has already run well past that typical window. Milan Fashion Week, set for September 22-28, is approaching — and fashion houses often choose high-visibility moments like fashion week to announce major leadership changes.
