F@B Presents: Francesca Bellettini - The Powerhouse Behind Yves Saint Laurent | Fashion Week ’21

Francesca Bellettini, CEO of Yves Saint Laurent, was interviewed by Linnea Hult ’24 and Emma Rosenkranz ’23, and introduced by Sasha Pinto ’21 as part of Brown Fashion Week 2021 at Brown University on March 10, 2021.
𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 ’𝟐𝟏:
Brown Fashion Week, an extravaganza inspired, planned, and executed by the 130 undergraduate student members Fashion@Brown (F@B), is the annual culmination of the club’s mission to inform, enthuse, and educate members and the community about the fashion and lifestyle industries. F@B’s Distinguished Speaker Series features conversations by the fashion industry’s top designers, CEOs, creative directors, journalists, editors, and industry professionals, offering real-life perspectives and advice for students. Brown Fashion Week culminates in its annual Runway Show spotlighting the collections of F@B’s Design Team of Brown and RISD student designers.
𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐢
Not only did Francesca Bellettini propel the Saint Laurent brand into the exclusive billion-euro club, but in the process, made herself one of the most powerful women in fashion where there are only a handful of female chief executives. Launching her career at Goldman Sachs before moving to prestigious fashion houses such as Prada, Gucci, Helmut Lang, and Bottega Veneta, Bellettini has shaped every form of luxury from the bags we carry to clothes and shoes we wear.
An Italian who didn’t even speak French when offered the CEO position at the venerable French maison in 2013, Bellettini has led Yves Saint Laurent to a record-breaking tripling of profits while becoming renowned for her quick smile and famous calm. And in a landmark moment in 2019, she was awarded France’s highest civilian distinction, Knight of the Legion of Honor, with the mayor of Paris proclaiming, “You have become a symbol of the Parisienne.”
Francesca Bellettini began her career in London as an investment banker working at Goldman Sachs International, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell and Compass Partners International. In 1999, she joined the Prada group and later became Operations Manager for Helmut Lang. She joined Kering in 2003 as Strategic Planning Director and Associate Worldwide Merchandising Director of Gucci. In 2008, she joined Bottega Veneta and became Worldwide Merchandising and Communications Director in 2010.
She became President and Chief Executive Officer of Yves Saint Laurent in 2013, establishing a company culture that fosters creativity, authenticity and agility, driving the consistent dynamism of the House and ensuring an outstanding and sustained growth trajectory, built on solid foundations. Bellettini’s leadership has fueled the House’s expansion and enabled Saint Laurent’s identity to emerge, pushing boundaries forward, yet remaining true to the House’s core values.
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