Tod’s Loses Creative Director Tamburini, Successor Unnamed

Tod’s creative director Matteo Tamburini stepped down on Tuesday, leaving the Italian luxury house without a named successor and adding to a growing list of vacant design posts across the sector.

The company confirmed the exit in a release from Tod’s Group, which owns the Tod’s, Hogan and Roger Vivier brands. No timeline for an appointment was given.

Group chair and CEO Diego Della Valle said in a statement: “I would like to thank Matteo for his creative and professional contribution throughout his tenure, for his commitment and for the work carried out in close collaboration with the company’s teams. I wish Matteo every success in his future professional endeavours.”

What was Tamburini’s track record at the brand?

Tamburui joined Tod’s in December 2023 and showed his first collection in February for Fall/Winter 2024. That debut drew recognition for its attention to house codes. His SS27 collection, shown in Milan in September, was his last for the brand — a tenure of roughly two years and five seasonal statements.

He arrived from Bottega Veneta, where he headed ready-to-wear design. Earlier roles included Emilio Pucci and Schiaparelli.

Tamburini framed the departure as a closed chapter. “My experience at Tod’s has been an important chapter in my professional journey and an opportunity to bring my creative vision to the brand,” he said. “I am proud of what we have achieved together and grateful to the Della Valle family for the opportunity they have given me.”

He added: “Above all, I would like to thank the talented people I have had the pleasure of working with, whose passion and dedication have made this experience so meaningful. I conclude this chapter with deep respect for the work we have accomplished and for the people who made it possible.”

What does the exit mean commercially?

The creative vacancy lands on a group already under pressure. Tod’s Group delisted in May 2024 through a deal with private equity firm L Catterton, removing its results from public disclosure.

The last public figures predate the buyout. Group revenues rose 11.9% year-on-year to €1.13 billion in 2023, driven by China and the retail channel. Tod’s brand sales grew 10.4% that year. Since going private, the macroeconomic environment has hardened and Chinese demand has softened further, compounding the case for a reset.

Tod’s Group tied the exit to strategy rather than performance. The company said the move aligns with a decision to “embark on a strategic direction aimed at more decisively communicating the brand’s values, the distinctive character of its codes, and the artisanal quality of its products, as well as the Italian lifestyle.”

For supply-chain and sourcing watchers, the language points to brand-led repositioning rather than operational change — no restructuring, factory or cost measures were announced alongside the departure.

What happens next?

The group has not named a successor or set a date. The next creative appointment will signal whether Della Valle doubles down on artisanal Italian positioning under a marquee name or promotes from within. Until then, the design vacancy coincides with a private ownership structure under L Catterton and a Chinese market that no longer offers the growth that lifted 2023 revenues 11.9%.