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, via LinkedIn
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.