MAM
UCB appoints Jean-Charles de Castelbajac as artistic director
MUMBAI: Fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac has been appointed artistic director of the United Colors Of Benetton men’s and women’s collections.
UCB chairman Luciano Benetton said, “We are happy to welcome Jean-Charles de Castelbajac into our big family. His experience, charisma, and ability to forecast tomorrow’s social and fashion trends will constitute a great asset for our brand.”
Castelbajac has a long career that spans from design to painting, advertising and street art. He debuted in the fashion world in 1968, when he launched a brand created in collaboration with his mother. He then went on to inspire fashion trends such as the “anti-fashion” movement and the alternative use of objects to decorate garments.
In 1974 he co-founded Iceberg. In 1978 he founded Maison Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, which he left in 2016. Over the years he has also collaborated with Max Mara, Ellesse, Courrèges, Rossignol, and Le Coq Sportif. Born from a mix of punk and pop, his style is characterised by the use of strong colors and pop icons, the mix of old and new and a whimsical and irreverent touch.
“An iconic brand, United Colors of Benetton envisioned the world of today: a pop, colorful, affordable and universal fashion, enhanced by Oliviero Toscani’s powerful images,” commented Castelbajac. “United Colors of Benetton and I have always had a similar take on fashion, characterized by the passion for knitwear and the love of pop and rainbow colors.”
Castelbajac and Benetton also share a passion for contaminating fashion with art. In his career, the French designer befriended and worked with artists such as Andy Warhol, Miguel Barcelo, Keith Haring, Jean Michel Basquiat, M.I.A and Lady Gaga. His creations have been displayed at New York’s Institute of Fashion and Technology, London’s Victoria&Albert Museum and the Galliera Museum in Paris. In 2018 he was guest artistic director at the Paris Biennale.
“Thanks to social networks, fashion today is visible to everyone. But it remains affordable only to a few,” Castelbajac said, adding, “Together, United Colors of Benetton and I will seek to create tomorrow’s wardrobe, bringing beauty and style to everyday life, at prices that everyone can afford.”
Brands
Robin Thadathil named chief human resources officer at P&G India
Insider steps up as CHRO, bringing 16 years of global HR leadership
SINGAPORE: Procter & Gamble has named Robin Thadathil as its new chief human resources officer, effective 1 April, marking a smooth internal transition at one of the country’s largest FMCG players.
Thadathil succeeds PM Srinivas, stepping into the role after more than 16 years within the company. A seasoned insider, he has built a career that stretches across Asia and the United States, with a steady rise through some of P&G’s most complex HR assignments.
Most recently, he served as senior director human resources, based in Singapore, where he led HR for the company’s site and country cluster spanning Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. Before that, he was human resources director for the club and Amazon teams and the Seattle site, overseeing a business worth over $8 billion and partnering closely with senior leadership.
His earlier stints include managing director human resources for supply chain and manufacturing plants in Indonesia, where he led large teams across hair care and fabric care operations, and regional HR leader for product supply in south east asia, managing talent and organisational strategy across multiple markets.
Thadathil’s journey at P&G began in Singapore, where he held roles such as associate manager, asia HR operations and HR business partner across Asean markets, steadily building expertise in talent management, compensation strategy and organisational design.
Educated at Nanyang Technological University, where he earned both his engineering degree and a master’s in international political economy, Thadathil brings a blend of analytical rigour and global perspective to his new role.
He takes on the role at a time when Procter & Gamble continues to strengthen its presence in India.
