Caleres, a U.S. footwear company, has announced a key leadership change to support its expanding brand portfolio. On Wednesday, the company named Kristen Sosa as Division President of Brand Portfolio, New York Brands, a new role created to help drive Caleres’ long-term growth.
In her new position, Kristen Sosa will lead several well-known brands under the Caleres group. These include Stuart Weitzman, Allen Edmonds, Franco Sarto, Vince, Veronica Beard, and Favorite Daughter.
She will report directly to Jay Schmidt, the President and CEO of Caleres.
Kristen Sosa has over 30 years of experience in fashion, luxury, and retail. Most recently, she was CEO for North America at Zadig & Voltaire. She previously served as President of the Americas at Marc Jacobs and as Chief Merchant at Olivela.
She started her career at Saks Fifth Avenue and later held senior leadership roles at both Saks Fifth Avenue and its Off 5th division. Her positions included Executive Vice President, Chief Merchant, and Head of Digital, which highlights her experience in both traditional retail and digital business.
Jay Schmidt praised Sosa’s appointment, describing her as a proven leader with strong knowledge of contemporary and luxury fashion. He noted her track record in launching new businesses, growing brands, and reviving struggling ones.
Her appointment comes at a key time for Caleres, especially after the company acquired the Stuart Weitzman brand from Tapestry last year for $105 million.
Caleres also recently promoted Dan Karpel to Interim Chief Financial Officer, in addition to his role as Chief Accounting Officer.
The company acknowledged possible financial challenges related to the Saks Global bankruptcy but confirmed that its sales and earnings outlook for 2025 is still in line with previous forecasts.
With Kristen Sosa taking on this new leadership role, Caleres is focused on strengthening its brand portfolio and driving the next phase of growth in the competitive fashion and footwear market.
