Ben Malka Named Halston CEO
Less than two weeks after the high-profile departures of president and chief creative officer Sarah Jessica Parker, partial owner Harvey Weinstein, and creative director Marios Schwab, Halston has found a new leader.
Ben Malka, the former president of the BCBG Max Azria Group, has been named chairman and CEO of the fashion house, Women’s Wear Daily reports. Malka will join the board at the company and will become a “substantial stakeholder.”
Parker and Weinstein both had stakes in the company; upon their departure and Malka’s appointment, the label is now entirely owned by Halston parent company Hilco Consumer Capital LLC and Malka.
“I am very excited to join Halston,” Malka said. “This is a wonderful opportunity and I look forward to defining a new era for this iconic brand.”
Malka will have complete operational control of the entire Halston business, including the brand’s main line and its contemporary line, Halston Heritage, though a decision hasn’t been made yet whether to produce a spring collection without a creative director in place. (The Fall 2011 collection will be delivered to stores.)
However, one potential creative head could be prime for the position: Marie Mazelis, the recently departed creative director of the Hervé Léger and Max Azria lines, who has worked under Malka for over 10 years.
Stay tuned.
