Tapestry announces departure of Stuart Weitzman Creative Director Giovanni Morelli

By

Robin Driver

Published
May 22, 2018

New York-based lifestyle group Tapestry, Inc. announced the resignation of Italian designer Giovanni Morelli as creative director of its Stuart Weitzman footwear brand on Monday, citing unspecified workplace misconduct as the reason for the departure.

 
“While we greatly admire Giovanni’s creative talents, Tapestry is committed to an environment where every individual feels respected and at times his behavior fell short of these standards,” stated Tapestry CEO Victor Luis in a release.
 
“Looking ahead, we have the utmost confidence in the talented Stuart Weitzman design team under the direction of CEO and Brand President Eraldo Poletto, who has a proven track record of developing iconic brands and successfully building global teams.”

Morelli joined Stuart Weitzman in May 2017, bringing 25 years of design experience at Loewe, Chloé, Burberry and Prada with him. At the time, the brand’s Executive Chairman Stuart Weitzman praised his “attention to detail, respect of quality and craftsmanship and […] his modern sensibility” in a statement, explaining that he expected the designer to preserve the “unique DNA of the brand” while also injecting it with his own contemporary vision.
 
Morelli’s departure is the latest in a string of exits related to workplace misconduct as the effects of the #MeToo movement continue to highlight the issues of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior in the fashion industry.
 
Nike has seen a veritable executive exodus over the last few months, while Lululemon’s CEO Laurent Potdevin resigned in February, a month which also saw Guess co-founder Paul Marciano step down from his day-to-day responsibilities at the brand following allegations from model Kate Upton that he had grabbed her breasts and kissed her aggressively.  
 
Stuart Weitzman was acquired by Coach – as Tapestry was then known – in 2015 and was a consistent growth driver for the group until the last quarter when sales slowed due to production delays and reduced demand for older styles.
 
Tapestry stated that it has begun the search for a new creative director for Stuart Weitzman.