French luxury group SMCP (which includes accessible luxury labels Sandro, Maje, Claudie Pierlot, and Fursac) has appointed Ida Simonsen, formerly of Stella McCartney, as its new President and CEO for the North American market. She takes over from Paul Griffin, who had been in the role since 2015.

A seasoned leader in the American fashion market, Ida Simonsen brings extensive experience from top-tier luxury houses. Before joining SMCP, she held key sales roles at Marni and Dries Van Noten in New York. 

Her most recent position was president of the Americas for Stella McCartney, where she oversaw retail and wholesale expansion across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. During her 12-year tenure, Simonsen played a pivotal role in navigating the brand through the strategic transition in ownership from Kering to LVMH in 2019.

A North American market expert at the helm

In her new role, Simonsen will spearhead SMCP’s strategy for North America, a key growth region for the group. “I am thrilled to be joining SMCP, a major player in the accessible luxury market in North America,” Simonsen said in a statement. “I look forward to working with the group’s talented teams to continue expanding our brands and strengthening their presence in the North American market.”

“Her leadership, deep industry expertise, and commitment to nurturing talent make her the ideal candidate to head our North American team,” said Isabelle Guichot, SMCP’s global CEO. “Ida has consistently demonstrated her ability to successfully manage strategic transitions and drive growth, and I am confident she will inspire our teams and help us achieve new milestones in the region.”

A global player in the accessible luxury segment, SMCP is currently present in 46 countries, with a retail network of over 1,600 stores across its four Parisian brands. To further enhance its international footprint, the group has recently expanded into Indonesia and the Philippines through local partnerships and is actively strengthening its position in high-potential markets, particularly in the United States. Both Sandro and Maje have opened new boutiques in prime locations such as Los Angeles and New York.

In 2023, the group reported a turnover of €1.23 billion, with Sandro alone achieving record growth, surpassing €600 million in revenue. Moving forward, SMCP aims to maintain a strategy focused on “protecting profitability while driving growth,” positioning itself to capitalise on key market opportunities across the globe.