Jil Sander appoints US executive

Jil Sander has appointed Michele Sodi to be president of Jil Sander America, a newly created position. Sodi was previously the executive at Balenciaga. According to Womenswear Daily, Sodi will oversee the brand's wholesale and retail business in North America and will be based in New York . He starts on Monday and will report to Jil Sander chief executive Gian Giacomo Ferraris, who was a colleague when they worked at Gucci Group.

Sodi's priorities will be to balance out the brand's wholesale and retail presence and help the company double the size of its U.S. business to 50 million euros, or $63 million at current exchange, in five years, Ferraris said in an interview. "I could see [Sodi's] experience on the American market ... and how he could build a strong relationship with clients and develop the market," Ferraris said.

Sodi replaces Tina Goldberg, who left the brand about two months ago for personal reasons. She oversaw the North American business, but her title was vice president and managing director. Ferraris stressed that he will fully delegate strategic and organizational responsibilities to Sodi. "This is the real change," he said. U.K.-based investment fund Change Capital Partners bought Jil Sander from Prada Holding N.V. in February and is working to restore the brand to profitability. Ferraris said the U.S. and Far East markets will generate the bulk of growth.