Guess Inc. made a significant announcement on Friday, revealing that co-founder Maurice Marciano is retiring from the company’s board of directors with immediate effect.
Having co-founded the Los Angeles-based fashion brand in 1981, Maurice Marciano has been a pivotal figure at Guess for over four decades. During his tenure, he played a crucial role in guiding the brand’s transformation from a small family business into a renowned global lifestyle brand.
Maurice Marciano expressed his sentiments, saying, «My brothers and I founded Guess based on a vision to create an iconic lifestyle brand that consumers around the globe would love. Today, I’m proud to say that we have turned that vision into a reality, in what has been an incredibly fulfilling journey for me personally. As the second-largest shareholder of Guess, I’m grateful to the board, to Paul, Carlos, and the entire Guess family for their partnership and commitment to our brand. I’m confident that the company is well-positioned to continue its success long into the future.»
Marciano’s contributions to Guess have been extensive. He served as CEO from 1993 to 2007 and also held the position of chairman or co-chairman of the board for 18 years before stepping down from that role in 2012. In that same year, he joined the company’s board.
Alex Yemenidjian, Chairman of the Board, acknowledged Marciano’s pivotal role, stating, «Maurice is a true visionary of Guess and an industry giant. His early idea to manufacture designer jeans helped revolutionize the way customers connect with denim, and transformed Guess into a global company that now does business in over 100 countries. On behalf of our board and our management team, I want to thank Maurice for his contributions and commitment to Guess and to recognize the incredible impact he has had on the fashion industry. We wish Maurice the very best and know that his legacy will continue for many generations to come.»
Guess is a globally recognized designer and licensor, offering contemporary apparel, denim, handbags, watches, eyewear, and footwear. Currently, the company directly operates 1,023 retail stores across the Americas, Europe, and Asia regions.