LONDON — Lisa Montague has been named chief executive officer of the accessories brand Aspinal of London, WWD has learned.
Montague, who was formerly president and ceo of Loewe, will take up the job on Sept. 1. She succeeds Sarah Rotheram, who held the role for the past three years. An announcement is expected today.
Before joining Loewe, where she worked with designers Stuart Vevers and Jonathan Anderson, Montague was chief operating officer at Mulberry.
“Lisa’s appreciation of the DNA of brands and understanding of product, and her vision and leadership, are exceptional,” said Iain Burton, chairman and founder of Aspinal.
Montague said the brand “has built a remarkable reputation in a short time, having started as an online business and quickly opened a successful network of retail stores across the U.K.”
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She will work with Nick Roberts, formerly a managing director of Mulberry Europe, who will join Aspinal as a non-executive director. Keith Watson, a director of 10 years, is retiring from the board.
Aspinal will this summer open its new flagship and largest store in London’s St James’s, adding to a portfolio of more than 20 stores across the U.K. and four international boutiques. It will also open its next U.K. store in Edinburgh shortly.
Aspinal was formed by Burton in 2001 and originally supplied artisanal leather accessories to museums and cultural institutions including The Louvre, the Vatican, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The British Museum and Historic Royal Palaces.
The premium brand is known for its classic styles done in punchy primary colors and patterns. In the past, Aspinal has collaborated with celebrities including Elizabeth Hurley and Olivia Palermo. It recently launched the Dockery Collection with the “Downton Abbey” star Michelle Dockery.
As reported in September 2015, Aspinal secured 9.75 million pounds, or $15 million, from Santander Corporate and Commercial to help bankroll the openings of stores and concessions and expand its staff.