Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts has been recruited by as new senior VP of retail and online stores.
It is great to see a new female face in the tech world. As it stands, people struggle to name anyone other than Marissa Mayer as a prominent woman in the industry.
It will be interesting to see how Ahrendts uses her fashion-based retail knowledge to transfer to Apple – which is in itself a very fashionable tech brand.
Apple has previous ties with Burberry as last month the two companies partnered, with Burberry using iPhone 5S devices to capture its Spring/Summer 2014 collection debut during London Fashion Week.
Ahrendts was with the British fashion house for nearly a decade and has been credited for the successful re-branding of the company. As the iconic Burberry check pattern was becoming synonymous with chav culture, Ahrendts launched the brand back into high fashion with the help of some famous British faces, such as Emma Watson, and optimising British style by resurrecting classic pieces like the Burberry trench coat. Burberry is now one of Britain’s most successful luxury exports.
Apple’s decision to hire Ahrendts comes just three months after it recruited Paul Deneve, the former chief executive of French luxury group Yves Saint Laurent, for ‘special projects’.
The moves are rumoured to be related to Apple’s development of an iWatch, in which an understanding of fashion will be as important as the technology and engineering behind the product.
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The Best Global Brand report by Interbrand saw Apple knock CocaCola off the top spot of the list for the first time this year, highlighting the shift in brand value from retail to tech companies.
An Interbrand spokesperson said: "Apple is the number one 2013 Best Global Brand because it has changed our lives – not just with its products but also with its ethos – Angela’s experience at Burberry will only enhance that. During her time there, her visionary use of technology to enhance the retail experience generated excitement, loyalty and ultimately, sales.
"She leaves Burberry in great shape. It has consistently risen up the Best Global Brands report under Angela’s control and is in strong position for a future without her."
