Givenchy Names Cécile Andrau-Martel President of Americas Region

Julia Erdman becomes communications and marketing director for the region as the brand pushes to increase growth in the U.S.

PARIS — Givenchy might have won over the U.K. — and much of the rest of the world — by dressing Meghan Markle for her marriage to Prince Harry, but the house has its sights set on the U.S., where it is bulking up executive teams.

Cécile Andrau-Martel was named president of the Americas and Canada, charged with developing business in the region for the house, which belongs to LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.

The executive replaces Laura Dubin-Wander, now president of North America for Coach, a Tapestry Inc. label.

Flagging Givenchy's American ambitions, Julia Erdman joins Andrau-Martel's team as director of communications and marketing for the region, a newly created position.

Erdman, who also reports Youssef Marquis, the house's global communications director, has the mission of integrating communications and marketing operations on a regional level to push the brand's notoriety and growth through different channels. The executive, who also worked at Lanvin, joins from Moncler where she directed public relations and events.

Andrau-Martel joined LVMH in 2015 as chief global commercial officer for Marc Jacobs. She had worked in various sales and management positions at Thierry Mugler, Paco Rabanne, Puig and Lanvin, where she was named executive vice president in 2006.

The label grabbed the spotlight this month when it was revealed that Markle, now the Duchess of Sussex, had chosen Givenchy designer Clare Waight Keller to make her wedding dress — resulting in an estimated $2.9 million in earned media coverage, or the value of equivalent advertising on Instagram.