Companies

Caleres names its first-ever Chief Design & Product Officer

Sep 13, 2023 United States

The US-based footwear company has promoted Natelle Baddeley to Chief Design and Product Officer, effective immediately. She joined Caleres in 2018 as SVP of Design, Merchandise, and Product Development Strategy

Baddeley will now have creative oversight of most of the company's portfolio of brands, including Naturalizer, Vionic, Dr. Scholl's, Veronica Beard, Vince, Franco Sarto, Blowfish Malibu and LifeStride. She is therefore expected to lead product strategy in terms of design, merchandising, and innovation. In addition, she will continue to support Caleres' sustainability efforts to minimize the impact of manufacturing on the environment.

“Natelle's passion for the Brand Portfolio and its consumers, combined with her considerable design acumen and technical expertise has made her a natural fit for this role. She has a proven track record of improving go-to-market strategy, shaping creativity, designing commercial bestsellers, and developing her team members' talents”, commented Jay Schmidt, President, and CEO of Caleres, to whom she will report.

Baddeley, who joined Caleres in 2018 as Senior Vice President of Design, Merchandise, and Product Development Strategy, has a career in footwear and accessories that spans more than 30 years. She most notably served as Senior Vice President and Creative Director of Global Design for Nine West and Bandolino at Jones Apparel Group and led footwear design at several European brands as well as the retailers Debenhams and Marks and Spencer.

“I am tremendously proud of the wrk we have done over the last five years to elevate products across Caleres' portfolio of powerful brands. I am passionate about innovation as the catalyst to accelerate brand value, improve customer loyalty and ultimately drive growth. I look forward to working closely with Jay and the senior leadership team to achieve the strategic, long-term vision of Caleres”, stated the newly appointed Chief Design and Product Officer.

Image Credits: businesswire.com

United States Brands Caleres Companies Design Footwear Management