Valérie Hermann is a French businesswoman. She is the managing director of the fashion and luxury division of EPI, a private investment fund based in Paris.

Early life

Valérie Hermann was born and raised in Concarneau. Her parents and older siblings are surgeons.

Career

After graduating from HEC Paris in 1985, she joined the

Comité Colbert The Comité Colbert is an association "to promote the concept of luxury." The members are 81 French luxury brands. It was founded in 1954 by Jean-Jacques Guerlain. ''Métiers'' or Trade Sectors The association is divided into thirteen métiers o ...

, an association of French companies in the luxury industry. In 1989, she was president of Jacques Fath Couture et Parfums. From 1989 to 1993, she took over the commercial management of Ercuis (silversmith) and Raynaud (porcelain). In 1996, she was appointed director of John Galliano SA. Three years later, she became director of women's ready-to-wear collections designed by

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for Christian Dior. In 2005, she was appointed CEO of Yves Saint Laurent (now Saint Laurent Paris), which is part of the PPR group. Together with artistic director Stefano Pilati, who succeeded

Tom Ford Thomas Carlyle Ford (born August 27, 1961) is an American fashion designer and filmmaker. He launched his eponymous luxury brand in 2005, having previously served as the creative director at Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. Ford wrote and direct ...

, she helped restore the company's deficit during the

financial crisis of 2007-2008 Finance is the study and discipline of money, currency and capital assets. It is related to, but not synonymous with economics, the study of production, distribution, and consumption of money, assets, goods and services (the discipline of fi ...

. Hermann developed the sale of accessories, leather goods, bags and shoes. In 2008, she won the “Femmes en or” trophy in the "business" category. In 2009, Hermann was appointed to the Board of Directors of the PPR Foundation and was ranked 46th in the Fortune's ranking of the world's most powerful women in business. In 2011, she left YSL and became CEO of the New York fashion brand

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. Hermann is an independent director of

Moncler Moncler S.p.A. is an Italian luxury fashion house specialized in ready-to-wear outerwear headquartered in Milan, Italy. Since its start as a down jacket boutique, Moncler has expanded to design vests, raincoats, windbreakers, knitwear, leather ...

since December 2013. In 2014, she joined Ralph Lauren and became president of the luxury collections. She was responsible for the brand strategy, merchandising, distribution and expansion until 2016 when she took over the global leadership of the brand. Her portfolio of brands included the luxury collections, the Polo and Denim brands, Ralph Lauren home, and all accessories. In December 2019, it was announced that Hermann was leaving Ralph Lauren to join private investment firm EPI as managing director of its fashion and luxury division, which includes the brands Bonpoint and J.M. Weston.

Personal life

She met her husband while studying at HEC Paris. They have three daughters.

Distinctions

Hermann became a Knight of The Legion of Honour in 2007. She was awarded the Femme en Or trophy in the "Business" category.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hermann, Valerie Living people 1963 births People from Concarneau French chief executives Dior people HEC Paris alumni