Marie Leblanc is stepping down from her position at the helm of Victoria Beckham as the brand begins to enter its “next phase”. She will be returning to France to be with her family, while chairman Ralph Toledano is to take on the CEO role in an interim capacity until a successor is named.
Leblanc had joined Beckham’s eponymous fashion label back in 2018 initially as product director, before later becoming CEO in the following year, after which she was tasked with leading a brand repositioning.
The news of her exit was confirmed to WWD by Victoria Beckham Ltd. that shared a statement from Beckham in which she described Leblanc as “the most incredible partner and CEO”.
Beckham added that they had been on “an incredible journey together” to “build a beautiful brand and profitable business”, before continuing: “I’m so excited about this next phase that we are in, which she has been such a crucial part of, and wish Marie the best of luck with her own next chapter.”
David Belhassen, founder and managing partner of Neo Investments, which holds a minority stake in the brand, commented: “The turnaround of the brand is excellent, the acceleration has started, and the brand has become very desirable.
“Marie has led this journey in brilliant partnership with Victoria and Neo. I wholeheartedly wish Marie all the best in her very promising career.”
Leblanc to exit after leading successful repositioning efforts
The Victoria Beckham label has indeed welcomed a strong turnaround in recent years after previously posting losses for 11 consecutive years in a row. Evidence of somewhat of a comeback began to emerge by late 2021, however, when the company was able to shrink its losses, a shift that was largely aided by an increased popularity in Victoria Beckham Beauty.
Fashion only then became a front player by mid-2022, when it was revealed Beckham was to make her Paris Fashion Week debut. This came after a “pivotal year” for the company, which finally posted a return to sales growth. By 2023, Victoria Beckham Ltd. was in its third-year of double-digit growth, as revenues rose 59 percent to 89.1 million pounds.
In the report, published August 2024 in Companies House, Leblanc had said that 2023 “was another strong year of progress” after having “successfully repositioned the business” into a global luxury house. For 2024, the brand is also anticipated to see continued acceleration.
