Kendra Scott is bolstering its executive leadership team by appointing jewellery industry veteran Kerry Feldmann as its new Chief Merchandising Officer. Feldmann will officially start in the role on 16th November, bringing over 20 years’ experience in jewellery merchandising, product development and design.
Reporting directly to CEO Chris Blakeslee, Feldmann will be responsible for merchandising, planning and allocation. She will also join the executive leadership team and be responsible for developing the product strategy and ensuring a greater degree of consistency across the range.
A major part of her job will be to bring clarity and coherence to the Kendra Scott merchandise offering and to identify opportunities to expand into related product categories. She’ll be looking at how product availability can be aligned with customer demand to ensure the right collections are in the right stores for the right customers.
Feldmann joins Kendra Scott from John Hardy where she was Senior Vice President of Merchandising, Planning & Design. She spent 15 years at Tiffany & Co. in various leadership roles in global merchandising and product development. Her experience at two of the more established jewellery names gives her a real understanding of the luxury and the accessible luxury market.
CEO Chris Blakeslee said customers have always looked to Kendra Scott for jewellery that is personal and reflects who you are and the important moments in your life. As they approach their 25th anniversary, the emphasis is on building on that foundation through product innovation, a more focused design direction and a more considered range.
Blakeslee also pointed to Feldmann’s industry experience and her understanding of the fact that luxury can be both accessible and fun. She was the right person to be the leader to bring a greater sense of intention to the product offering and to look at new categories.
The appointment comes as Kendra Scott continues to expand its business and beef up its leadership. Adrienne Gernand was appointed as the company’s first Chief Business Officer in April. The brand has also been looking to expand beyond its core jewellery business, with a partnership with eyewear company Marchon announced in December last year to enter the eyewear space.
Feldmann’s arrival is another step in that evolution. With a much stronger merchandising structure in place and an experienced jewellery exec at the front of the house, Kendra Scott is now in a position to start to refine its collections, look at new product opportunities and be in a position to move into the next phase of growth.
