Francesca Bellettini is the deputy chief executive of Kering. She was previously appointed president and chief executive of Saint Laurent in July 2013. She joined the famous Parisian house, replacing Paul Deneuve, at a crucial time in its development. At the time Pinault, chairman of parent company Kering, was open about his wish that the house reach $1 billion dollars in sales and Bellettini played an integral role in achieving that goal.
Having crossed the $1 billion in sales threshold in 2017, the brand is a star performer in parent company Kering’s luxury portfolio. In the luxury group's 2018 full-year results, Saint Laurent reached sales €1.74 billion, a 16.1 percent increase in reported growth.
Impressively, the executive has maintained the house's upward trajectory despite the departure of its star creative director Hedi Slimane , who was succeeded by Anthony Vacarello in April 2016.
Bellettini joined Yves Saint Laurent from Bottega Veneta. Whilst at the Italian leather goods and ready-to-wear brand, also owned by Kering, Bellettini oversaw merchandising, visual display and communications and was instrumental in the brand’s repositioning and popularity in emerging markets.
Her extensive managerial experience in the fashion industry precedes her time at Bottega Veneta; she previously was a merchandising director at Gucci, operations manager at Helmut Lang, and has also held various positions at Prada.
In September 2023, Bellettini was promoted to Kering deputy CEO, with all brand CEOs reporting to her, in addition to her current role, president and chief executive of Saint Laurent.
Bellettini holds a degree from Bocconi University in Milan and began her career as an investment banker in London, working for Goldman Sachs, Compass Partners and others. In 2019 she was awarded the French Knight of the Legion of Honour, the highest possible distinction for a civilian in the country. Belletini also serves on the executive committee of France's Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode and in July 2019 was elected president of the Chambre Syndicale de la Mode Féminine, the country's governing body for womenswear.
VITAL STATISTICS
The Logic Behind Balenciaga’s Pierpaolo Piccioli Appointment
Kering has named the former Valentino designer known for his deft use of colour and sculptural couture to succeed Demna in an apparent reset at the Paris-based brand.
Why Gucci Picked Demna
The era-defining Balenciaga designer will take the reins of Italy’s biggest luxury brand in a surprise shakeup of parent company Kering’s creative ranks. The French group is under pressure to turn around performance after profits tumbled 46 percent last year.
Francesca Bellettini’s Plan For Kering
Topping off a transformative tenure at Saint Laurent, the Italian executive and BoF 500 member is co-piloting fashion’s highest-stakes turnaround effort as owner Kering’s deputy CEO for brand development. Can Bellettini engineer a rebirth for the luxury giant and its flagship label Gucci?
Francesca Bellettini’s Plan For Kering
Topping off a transformative tenure at Saint Laurent, the Italian executive and BoF 500 member is co-piloting fashion’s highest-stakes turnaround effort as owner Kering’s deputy CEO for brand development. Can Bellettini engineer a rebirth for the luxury giant and its flagship label Gucci?
Alessandro Michele, Michelle Yeoh, Francesca Bellettini, Zac Posen and Angel Reese Are Our BoF 500 Cover Stars
On Friday September 27, The BoF 500 Class of 2024 will be unveiled. To mark the occasion, The Business of Fashion sat down with five members of our global community as they embark on new chapters in their careers.
Alessandro Michele, Michelle Yeoh, Francesca Bellettini, Zac Posen and Angel Reese Are Our BoF 500 Cover Stars
On Friday September 27, The BoF 500 Class of 2024 will be unveiled. To mark the occasion, The Business of Fashion sat down with five members of our global community as they embark on new chapters in their careers.
In Paris, Global Fashion Community Fetes The BoF 500 Class of 2023
Members of the industry index including Pierpaolo Piccioli and Francesca Bellettini connected over cocktails and canapes in Paris, celebrating new entrants including Pharrell Williams, Karol G and Sabato De Sarno.
Five Key Questions on Kering and Mayhoola’s Valentino Deal
The French group will pay €1.7 billion for 30 percent of the Italian couture house as the first step in a broader partnership with owner Mayhoola. What will the deal mean for Kering, Valentino, Mayhoola and the wider fashion landscape?
Five Key Questions on Kering and Mayhoola’s Valentino Deal
The French group will pay €1.7 billion for 30 percent of the Italian couture house as the first step in a broader partnership with owner Mayhoola. What will the deal mean for Kering, Valentino, Mayhoola and the wider fashion landscape?
Luxury Slowdown? Not So Fast
Momentum in China and tourist spend in Europe enabled the sector to continue growing in Q2, while Kering’s surprise acquisition of a 30 percent stake in Valentino suggests there is more consolidation to come, writes Imran Amed.
The BoF Podcast | Francesca Bellettini on Managing Creativity, Customers and the Bottom Line
Kering’s new deputy CEO of brand development shares her luxury brand management playbook in this archive interview with Imran Amed from BoF VOICES 2018.
Who Should Be Gucci’s New CEO?
Following this week’s announcement that longtime Gucci chief Marco Bizzarri will exit the company in September, Imran Amed shares his top picks for one of the top jobs in the global luxury industry.
As Gucci’s CEO Steps Down, Saint Laurent’s Chief Steps Up
Marco Bizzarri led the Italian luxury giant through a historic expansion before the business struggled to bounce back from the pandemic. Parent company Kering announced the move as part of a broader executive shakeup after which Saint Laurent CEO Francesca Bellettini will oversee all the group’s brands.
As Gucci’s CEO Steps Down, Saint Laurent’s Chief Steps Up
Marco Bizzarri led the Italian luxury giant through a historic expansion before the business struggled to bounce back from the pandemic. Parent company Kering announced the move as part of a broader executive shakeup after which Saint Laurent CEO Francesca Bellettini will oversee all the group’s brands.
What is The BoF 500?
The people shaping the global fashion industry, curated by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on nominations and on-the-ground intelligence from around the world.
