Kate Spade New York has appointed Jonathan Saunders as its new executive creative director, effective Aug. 26. The Central Saint Martins grad was most recently chief creative officer of & Other Stories, and has more than 20 years of experience at companies including Alexander McQueen, Diane von Furstenberg, Calvin Klein, Tiffany & Co. and Pucci. He also oversaw his own namesake line from 2003 to 2015.
Saunders is bringing his take on modern femininity to the Tapestry-owned brand, overseeing product design and visual identity, per a press release. He reports to Kate Spade Brand President and CEO Eva Erdmann, who joined the company in 2024 and spearheaded the splashy Gen Z-focused fall campaign featuring Ice Spice, Charli D’Amelio, Laufey and Reign Judge.
Erdmann shared her excitement about Saunders' appointment and Kate Spade's ongoing refresh on LinkedIn. "The best creative directors don't reinvent beloved brands. They listen to them and connect their soul with today's consumer," she wrote. "Jonathan's career speaks for itself. But credentials weren't what convinced me. It was the way he talks about our brand's rich heritage: color, youthful femininity, emotional connection. He didn't talk about reinventing Kate Spade. He talked about revealing it."
Photo: Darren Gerrish/WireImage for The Royal Academy of Arts
Saunders will be relocating from London to New York City for the role, where he plans to build on the brand's established identity while evolving it for today's customer.
"Kate Spade is iconic, and it's an honor to step into a brand that has such a strong identity and deep emotional connections," he said in a statement. "The brand has a genuine point of view, rich brand codes steeped in its 30-year history, and infinite potential. I'm looking forward to immersing in the brand heritage and connecting that soul with today's consumers."
The appointment comes as parent company Tapestry continues to invest in Kate Spade's long-term growth, after buying the accessories brand in 2017. Tapestry also owns Coach, which saw sales rise 29% year-over-year, thanks in part to major wins with Gen Z.
* This article was originally published here