Francois Russo

Last updated
Francois Russo
Francois Russo.png
Born1966
Alma mater Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales
OccupationDesigner
Known forFounder of Maison Takuya

Francois Russo (born 1966) is the creative director and founder of Maison Takuya, a company which he founded in 2008, and which designs luxury leather goods. He is the co-founder of contemporary art Gallery Russo|Yubero located in Switzerland and Thailand [1] [2] He was raised in Paris and currently (in 2013) lives in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Contents

Education and career

Francois Russo graduated from Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC Paris) in 1989 and began his career at Cartier, where he helped establish Cartier's Institut Supérieur de Marketing du Luxe (ISML). [3] Russo then moved to the marketing division of L'Oréal, and then to The French Mint where he was appointed International Director in 1991. [4] In 1995, he joined Havas Advertising. [4] In 2001 he founded an image agency where he engaged in art direction, professional photography and interior design. [4]

In 1999, he became an advisor to the Swiss private bank Lombard Odier & Cie.

In 2003, Russo joined French designer Andrée Putman, as co-chairman of her agency. [5] Their first project together was the design of the first store for the perfume brand Guerlain (LVMH Group) on the Champs-Elysées in Paris. [6] Other design projects included hotels (The Putman in Hong Kong, Spa of Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich), boutiques and corners (Helena Rubinstein worldwide and Anne Fontaine in Tokyo, Paris and New York), private residences, company headquarters (Novartis in Basel), furnishing (Cappellini, Poltrona Frau, Pleyel, Reflex, Emeco), one-off items and collections (Christofle, Mont-Blanc, Chivas, Louis Vuitton) and design consulting (Novartis Campus Basel, Chanel). [4]

In 2005 Russo was engaged as a design consultant for Chanel. [1] In 2007, he designed the commemorative Jacques Helleu Chair for the leading Italian furniture maker, Poltrona Frau. [7] [8]

As of 2017, Russo continues to head the luxury leather goods company Maison Takuya after granting control of the brand to luxury retailer Club 21. [9] [10]

Awards

Russo was awarded an honorary degree in 1999 by the Institut Supérieur du Marketing de Luxe. [11]

Publications

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chanel</span> French fashion house

Chanel is a luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. It is privately owned by the Wertheimer family and has been headquartered in London since 2018.

Compagnie Financière Richemont S.A., commonly known as Richemont, is a Switzerland-based luxury goods holding company founded in 1988 by South African businessman Johann Rupert. Through its various subsidiaries, Richemont produces and sells jewellery, watches, leather goods, pens, firearms, clothing, and accessories. Richemont is publicly traded as CFR on the SIX Swiss Exchange and the JSE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cartier (jeweler)</span> French luxury goods conglomerate owned by Swiss Richemont Group

Cartier International SNC, or simply Cartier, is a French luxury-goods conglomerate that designs, manufactures, distributes, and sells jewellery, leather goods, watches, sunglasses and eyeglasses. Founded by Louis-François Cartier (1819–1904) in Paris in 1847, the company remained under family control until 1964. The company is headquartered in Paris and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Swiss Richemont Group. Cartier operates more than 200 stores in 125 countries, with three Temples in Paris, London, and New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rue de la Paix, Paris</span> Street in Paris, France

The Rue de la Paix is a fashionable shopping street in the centre of Paris. Located in the 2nd arrondissement, running north from Place Vendôme and ending at the Opéra Garnier, it is best known for its jewellers, such as the shop opened by Cartier in 1898. Charles Frederick Worth was the first to open a couture house in the Rue de la Paix. Many buildings on the street are inspired in design by the hôtels particuliers of Place Vendôme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goyard</span> French trunk and leather goods maker

Maison Goyard, or simply Goyard, is a French trunk and leather goods maker established in 1792 as Maison Martin in Paris; the company also operated as Maison Morel, before becoming Maison Goyard in 1853. The brand is known for a certain amount of secrecy surrounding its products; little is known of the origins of the iconic interlocking Chevron pattern, seen on many Goyard bags.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Designer label</span> Products sold under a marque named after a designer

The term designer label refers to clothing, luxury automobile manufacturers and other personal accessory items sold under an often prestigious marque which is commonly named after a designer, founder, or a location-like where the company was founded. The term is most often applied to luxury goods. While members of the upper middle class, or the mass affluent, are perhaps the most commonly targeted customers of these designer labels, some marquees—such as Cartier, Rolex, Montblanc and the haute couture — tend to a wealthier customer base. But almost every designer brand has merchandise that the middle-class wouldn't normally be able to afford, such as exotic skins, furs and hides, limited edition pieces, or things simply priced higher. Designer label companies use their smaller and cheaper merchandise, aimed at the middle class, such as wallets, fashion jewellery, key-rings and small accessories, to make the majority of their income, whilst the more expensive pieces such as haute couture, high jewellery, hand-bags, shoes and even furnishings are usually reserved for the wealthier upper-class clientele.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longchamp (company)</span> French leather goods company

Longchamp is a French leather goods company, founded in Paris in 1948 by Jean Cassegrain. The company pioneered luxury leather-covered pipes before expanding into small leather goods. Longchamp debuted women's handbags in 1971, becoming one of France's leading leather goods makers. Today, the company designs and manufactures leather and canvas handbags, luggage, shoes, travel items, fashion accessories, and women's ready-to-wear. The house is privately owned and managed by the Cassegrain founding family and does business in 80 countries through around 1,500 retail outlets.

The Comité Colbert is an association "to promote the concept of luxury." The members are 81 French luxury brands. It was founded in 1954 by Jean-Jacques Guerlain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrée Putman</span> French interior and product designer (1925-2013)

Andrée Putman was a French interior and product designer.

Francis Kurkdjian is a French perfumer and businessman of Armenian descent. He is best known for creating the men's fragrance Le Male for Jean Paul Gaultier in 1995, which has become one of the world's best-selling perfumes. He has since created a further 40 fragrances for major companies worldwide, including Elie Saab Le Parfum for Elie Saab; My Burberry for Burberry; L'extase for Nina Ricci; and Narciso Rodriguez for Her for Narciso Rodriguez, Green Tea for Elizabeth Arden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design</span> Fashion school in Lahore, Pakistan

Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (Urdu: پاکستان انسٹی ٹیوٹ آف فیشن اینڈ ڈیزائن), also referred as PIFD, is a public design institution primarily located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It was established in 1994 as the Pakistan School of Fashion Design (PSF) by the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, a department within the Ministry of Commerce. The close collaboration between the textile industry, Erasmus+, Commonwealth Association, business and arts communities is intended to foster multi-disciplinary education and research.

Olivia Putman is a French designer, daughter to Andrée Putman and heir to her mother's design studio, Studio Putman. Her works range from interior architecture to scenography and design.

Assouline Publishing is a book publisher and luxury lifestyle company founded in 1994 by Prosper and Martine Assouline. It has published more than 1,700 titles on subjects including architecture, art, design, fashion, gastronomy, lifestyle, photography, and travel. Beginning in the 2010s the company has branched out to designing, producing, and selling furniture, accessories, and luxury gifts, and to creating bespoke furnished and accessorized libraries for individuals and hotels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Au Départ</span> Parisian trunkmaker

Au Départ is a Parisian trunkmaker founded in Paris in 1834.

Cottin SAS is a family held business based in Paris, France. It specializes in the creation of high end luxury goods for technology items, such as "luxury computers", iPad and iPhone decorations and baggage. It's located in Paris, as well as in boutiques and the internet. The products revolve around providing technological devices with a more humanistic touch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Institut Supérieur de Marketing du Luxe (Sup de Luxe)</span>

The Institut Superieur de Marketing du Luxe, also known as Sup de Luxe, is an institute that provides luxury management programs from bachelor's to MBAs. Sup de Luxe is part of the EDC Paris Business School. The institute is a "chair Cartier" and was created by professionals working in the luxury goods sector. The institute's goal is to prepare graduates for employment and careers in the luxury sector. Since its creation in 1990, more than 3,000 international students have graduated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sophie Mallebranche</span> French artist and textile designer (born 1976)

Sophie Mallebranche is a French artist and textile designer known for her woven metal materials that mix fibers and industrial materials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maison Souquet</span> Hotel in Paris, France

Maison Souquet is a 5-star hotel, part of Maisons Particulieres Collection, located at 10, rue de Bruxelles in Paris, on the outskirts of Montmartre. The hotel is inspired by the Parisian brothels from the Belle Époque period. Maison Souquet is decorated by the French designer Jacques Garcia.

Lancel is a French Maison of luxury leather goods, founded in Paris in 1876 by Angèle and Alphonse Lancel and developed by their son Albert.

Henri Serge Racamier was a French industrialist and businessman. He was primarily known for co-founding the luxury conglomerate LVMH and turning Louis Vuitton into an internationally recognized brand with billions of dollars in sales.

References

  1. 1 2 "Maison de Luxe". POSTISM. January 10, 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  2. "For luxury goods maker, Thailand has it all stitched up". Bangkok Post, 18 November 2012.
  3. "François Russo". LUXURY CULTURE. 2009-09-24. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Pioneer Par Excellence". Prestige Thailand. 71: 60–65. July 2011.
  5. GERSCHE, STEPHANE (2005). Putman Style. Assouline.
  6. "François Russo". POLTRONA FRAU. Archived from the original on July 12, 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  7. "Opposites Attract". Thailand Tatler: 219. December 2008.
  8. 'Contemporary' in the balance - Page 2 - Chicago Tribune
  9. "Leather Love". The Edge Malaysia. May 7, 2013. Archived from the original on 12 July 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  10. Symphony invests in boutique luxury brand Maison Takuya | Private Equity Wire
  11. "InstItut supérIeur de MarketIng du Luxe - EDC Paris" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-06-11. Retrieved 2014-03-12.

Sources