Introduction
Rose Marie Bravo is an American retail executive whose career moved from department-store merchandising to the restructuring of a major British fashion house. After graduating from Fordham University in 1971, she entered Abraham & Strauss and spent fifteen years at Macy’s, progressing through buying, cosmetics, fragrance, sportswear, coats, accessories and senior merchandising management.
Bravo moved to California in 1989 to lead I. Magnin and associated operations, then became President of Saks Fifth Avenue in 1992 with responsibility across merchandising, marketing and product development. Burberry appointed her Chief Executive in October 1997 and a company director on 20 October. Her mandate joined product, image, licensing, distribution, retail and organisational reform rather than isolating the turnaround as a designer-led exercise.
At Burberry, Bravo recruited operating and creative leaders, reduced unsuitable distribution and licences, acquired more direct regional control and commissioned the identity and campaign system developed by Fabien Baron and Mario Testino. Roberto Menichetti launched Prorsum within this framework and Christopher Bailey succeeded him in 2001. Bravo served as Chief Executive through 30 June 2006, then as Vice-Chair during the transition to Angela Ahrendts until 2007. Her later work has included board and institutional roles across retail, beauty, education and philanthropy.
Disclaimer
Career history
1997
Rose Marie Bravo became Burberry Chief Executive in October 1997 and a director on 20 October. Her mandate coordinated product, merchandising, image, licensing, distribution, retail and organisational reform, creating the operating framework in which Prorsum, new campaigns and more direct regional control developed.
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