Image via Complex Original
Recently, Apple has been hiring some huge names from the fashion world and bringing them to the tech arena; or, at least, that grey area of design where tech and fashion blend together. Apple has centered its product on aesthetic, design, and branding as much as technical power, and with its desire to expand the its lifestyle worldwide, it makes sense that those behind some of the biggest names in fashion have been asked and convinced to make the move to Cupertino. Furthermore, with wearable tech becoming the next great frontier, it only makes more sense that Apple wants a piece of the fashion pie, as much as fashion wants a slice of Apple’s emerging technology.
After all, Apple is just as much about providing a “lifestyle” as it is about crafting cutting-edge computing and technology. Considering that many fashion brands are interested in providing the same top-to-bottom lifestyle for its customers, it comes as no surprise that fashion execs and Apple bigwigs are often sitting side by side. Case in point: Apple CEO Tim Cook is a board member at Nike, while J.Crew’s Mickey Drexler sits on the board of directors at Apple. But lately, these concentric circles have tightened up and merged with one another. From origins at sneaker giants to leading some of the most venerable fashion houses in history, check out Every Person Apple Has Poached From the Fashion Industry. Expect these people to make big waves in the very near future.
Paul Deneve
Fashion Industry Job: CEO of Yves Saint Laurent
Position at Apple: Will work on “Special Projects” with Apple CEO Tim Cook
Date of Hiring Announced: July, 2013
The higher-ups at Apple weren’t playing around when they nabbed the CEO of Yves Saint Laurent Group. At the time of Paul Deneve's hiring, much about his future remained a mystery, and to this day, not much has been revealed. Hired to work on “special projects” with Apple CEO Tim Cook, his LinkedIn page currently lists his title at Apple as Vice President. At the time of his arrival in Cupertino, many believed that Apple planned for Deneve to fill the role of former Senior VP of Retail and Online operations, John Browett—a role that was eventually filled a few months later by Burberry’s Angela Ahrendts. Leaving a job as CEO of one of the most vaunted fashion businesses in the world is no small move, and so these "special projects" must have presented a serious draw for Deneve to make the switch.
Enrique Atienza
Fashion Industry Job: Senior Vice President Retail Americas and Global Store Operations and Training COE at Levi's
Position at Apple: Director of Sales in the U.S., West Coast
Date of Hiring Announced: Aug., 2013
There were many candidates considered for the position of Senior Vice President of Retail and Online Stores, and Enrique Atienza's name was a frontrunner. The job eventually went to Angela Ahrendts, but many speculated that with Atienza’s expansive resume in running massive retail operations, he could have been the man to replace the departed John Browett. Reports say that his current title is Director of Sales in the U.S. with a focus on the West Coast, but there’s little information on his LinkedIn that explains much about his position (something that is common amongst Apple's new hires on this list). That being said, Apple's retail locations have garnered numerous awards and accolades for providing a retail experience unlike others, and must exceed the bar it has set if growth is to continue. It's safe to assume that Ateinza will have a significant role in making this happen.
Ben Shaffer
Fashion Industry Job: “Innovation Kitchen” Studio Director at Nike
Position at Apple: Product Designer of Wearable Technology (Unconfirmed)
Date of Hiring Announced: Sept., 2013
Ben Shaffer’s time as studio director in the “Innovation Kitchen” isn’t something to be scoffed at. During his time over at Nike, his main focus was a little thing you may have heard of known as Flyknit technology. Rumors have swirled over the development of Apple’s iWatch and other wearable technology concepts, and while Shaffer’s actual job title isn’t readily available (his LinkedIn page doesn’t even list him at Apple), it is believed that he was acquired to assist in the design of future wearable technology, iWatch or otherwise. With his pedigree designing new tech for Nike, it’s not a shocker that he made the jump from Beaverton to Cupertino.
Angela Ahrendts
Fashion Industry Job: CEO of Burberry
Position at Apple: Senior Vice President of Retail and Online Stores
Date of Hiring Announced: Oct., 2013
2013 was a strong year for Apple, cleanly sweeping up two CEOs and adding them to its executive team. Finally filling a role that had been vacant for roughly a year since the firing of John Browett, Apple plucked Angela Ahrendts from Burberry to be the tech giant's Senior VP of Retail and Online Stores. Ahrendts turned Burberry around during her time at the storied British fashion house, refining over 35 of Burberry’s subcategories and investing heavily in Burberry’s digital and e-commerce presence—something that continues to make it one of the most recognizable and accessible luxury brands in the market today. Now her focus is on Apple and the quest to elevate the enormous name and business to the next level.
Patrick Pruniaux
Fashion Industry Job: VP for Sales at Tag Heuer
Position at Apple: Involvement with Apple iWatch
Date of Hiring Announced: July, 2014
Fashion conglomerate LVMH is definitely on the defensive against Apple, thanks to the smart iWatch slated to come in October 2014. It is speculated that, while Pruniaux’s transition to the tech giant is still relatively recent, Apple plans to tap his experience (seven years to be exact) at luxury watch brand Tag Heuer to assist in the production and release of the iWatch. Most people claim that wearable tech simply doesn't look good enough to validate a purchase, and so it will be up to Pruniaux to provide the relevant knowledge that he brings with him from Tag Heuer.
Musa Tariq
Fashion Industry Job: Director of Social Media at Nike
Position at Apple: Digital Marketing Director, Retail Division
Date of Hiring Announced: Aug., 2014
Angela Ahrendts is already making moves at Apple since her official start in May 2014. Musa Tariq was a heavy hitter in the social media realm over at Burberry under Ahrendts, and is well known for his “tweetwalk” campaign. The strategy gave Burberry followers a closer look at collection releases and runway materials, as well as the opportunity to purchase items right then and there. It challenged the notion of fashion shows, and brought Tariq into the spotlight.
He followed his time at Burberry with a job at Nike, working as Global Senior Director of Social Media. His hiring proves both Ahrendt's influence within Apple, and also the company’s desire to shift from television and print ads into larger Internet-centric campaigns—something the brand has not optimized for some time. Because Tariq was able to revolutionize how high-fashion and social media interacted, as well as head up the online presence of one of the world's biggest brands, Apple must have some big plans in store for him.
Catherine Monier
Fashion Industry Job: President of Europe and Director of Wholesale Worldwide at Yves Saint Laurent
Position at Apple: Unknown, will work with Paul Deneve
Date of Hiring Announced: Aug., 2014
Apple can’t stop dipping into the high-fashion world. Catherine Monier, the President of YSL Europe and major retail head at the Parisian fashion house will soon be migrating to California. Much like how the hiring of Musa Tariq exhibited the immediate influence of Angela Ahrendts, it is believed that Monier's hiring is based as much on her working relationship with Paul Deneve as it is her experience within and expertise over the fashion industry. With Deneve hired roughly a year ago to work on “special projects” under CEO Tim Cook, it seems that Monier has been personally plucked by her former coworker to join the team in Cupertino. The hiring of Monier (and Deneve by extension) is centered around a revamp of Apple’s retail stores, gearing them up for the much speculated, but still very secretive, wearable technologies that Apple is planning to launch this fall.
