Fashion industry gets its revenge as Donna Karan hires away Apple creative director

Muelas, via LinkedIn

After years of poaching top fashion industry executives, Apple has found itself on the losing end as Donna Karan has reportedly hired Hector Muelas — who served as creative director of worldwide marketing communications at Apple — to fill a similar role at the fashion conglomerate.

Muelas will serve as "chief image officer" for Donna Karan International, the parent company of DKNY, according to the New York Business Journal. His brief is said to include brand image, marketing, and creative for all of Donna Karan's brick-and-mortar, digital, and e-commerce platforms.

Among other projects, Muelas oversaw global creative strategy for the Apple Watch launch.

Muelas has a long history in media and advertising, ultimately leading the Apple team at TBWA \ Media Arts Lab before moving to Cupertino in January of last year. Apple brought in a number of former TBWA\MAL staffers last year as the company beefed up its internal creative team during a period of seemingly strained relations between Apple and its longtime ad partner.

The doorway between Apple and the fashion industry has traditionally swung in the iPhone maker's direction. Fashion executives converging on Cupertino in recent years include former Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts, former YSL CEO Paul Deneve, and former Gap global marketing director Marcela Aguilar.

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7 Comments

SpamSandwich

said about 8 years ago

No doubt there will continue to be more defections going in both directions as Apple further enters fashion industry territory.

fred1

said about 8 years ago

Oh well, we should wish him well. Apple certainly has gotten its share of high end people *from* the fashion industry. If they get too many, they might start selling iPods and iPhones in bright colors. Oh wait . . .

rogifan

said about 8 years ago

He only worked at Apple for one year according to his linked in profile. What exactly is the position of creative director at Apple? Alan Dye is listed as a creative director on linked in but according to that New Yorker profile on Jony Ive he runs the human interface team at Apple.

hmm

said about 8 years ago

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogifan

He only worked at Apple for one year according to his linked in profile.

What exactly is the position of creative director at Apple? Alan Dye is listed as a creative director on linked in but according to that New Yorker profile on Jony Ive he runs the human interface team at Apple.

What do you mean? The term creative director could indicate that the person deals with advertising and branding issues for the company. It's doesn't typically refer to a low to mid level position, but a company the size of Apple may have multiple individuals with this job title, presumably segmented by region. With a smaller company his role would be much more obvious.