Caleres Taps Nancy Bitetto as Head of New York Brands
Caleres Inc. has tapped a seasoned footwear executive to oversee its New York brands, which include Franco Sarto, Vince and Veronica Beard, as well as its private brand offerings.
Nancy Bitetto has assumed the newly created role of senior vice president of New York brand, where she will help drive growth and profitability within that segment of Caleres’ brand portfolio. She is based in New York and reports to Caleres president and chief executive officer Jay Schmidt.
In addition to its New York brands, Caleres also owns Sam Edelman, Allen Edmonds, Dr. Scholl’s, Naturalizer and Vionic and operates close to 1,000 retail stores.
Before joining Caleres, Bitetto served as the vice president of sales at Tory Burch’s footwear and jewelry division. Prior to that, she was the head of women’s footwear merchandising at Prada North America. She has also served in leadership roles at Ferragamo and Sergio Rossi.
“I’m thrilled to lead these dynamic brands at such a pivotal moment for Caleres,” Bitetto said in a statement. “Caleres is a powerhouse in footwear, and its brands including Franco Sarto, Veronica Beard, and Vince are well-positioned in the market for substantial growth potential. I look forward to working closely with the team to leverage my experience and drive meaningful progress.”
In a statement, Schmidt praised Bitetto’s strong track record of growing luxury and contemporary fashion brands
“Her expertise will enable us to advance our brand ambitions and power sustained growth,” Schmidt said. “Attracting exceptional leadership is a crucial element of our strategic priorities, and we’re confident Nancy will play an instrumental role in driving shareholder value.”
In September, Caleres lowered its yearly guidance after sales came in below its expectations in the second quarter. The company’s brand portfolio segment saw net sales decline 5.1 percent in the quarter.