Roger Vivier Appoints Catherine Sardin New General Manager

MILAN — Roger Vivier has found its new general manager.

Parent company Tod’s Group said Friday at the end of trading in Milan, where it is publicly listed, that Catherine Sardin is joining the luxury brand effective June 1.

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Sardin will report to the group’s general manager Simona Cattaneo and will be based at the Roger Vivier headquarter in Paris.

After her master’s degree in marketing at the EDHEC Business School, Sardin developed her career in the luxury and fashion industry holding managerial roles at companies such as Louis Vuitton, Berluti, J.M. Weston, Maison Lejaby and, finally, at Alaïa, contributing to building the brands globally.

As reported, Maria Cristina Lomanto, who held the title of brand manager at Roger Vivier, exited the label on April 15 to join Gucci as executive vice president, brand general manager — a new role for the Italian brand.

Roger Vivier has for years solidly contributed to the growth of the Tod’s Group, which also owns the Tod’s, Hogan and Fay labels, but in the first quarter of the year, as reported, it was impacted by its exposure to the Chinese market. That said, in the three months ended March 31, Roger Vivier sales rose 8 percent at reported rates to 52.4 million euros, and 4 percent at constant rates to 50.6 million euros.

In 2021, the Roger Vivier brand registered sales of 229.6 million euros, up 43.5 percent on 2020 and a 15.9 percent increase compared with 2019 at constant exchange.

The label has been designed by artistic director Gherardo Felloni since 2018.

In March in Paris, Felloni presented the statement shoe of the season, the Choc Feathers Pump, whose shape nods to the silhouette of a swan. Taking a week to realize, the style is also defined by the brand’s signature Choc curved heel — invented by the founder of the luxury house — and feathers, applied by hand and rendered in pastel hues of pink, lilac and aquamarine.

The designer also introduced “leg jewelry” in geometric motifs enriched with crystals, pearls and feathers.

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