Lemaire Appoints Clarisse Godbillon for New Leadership Brand Move

Introduction

Lemaire appoints Clarisse Godbillon as its managing director. According to Fashion United, she returns to the company after working as chief operating officer (COO) at Jacquems. This appointment follows Laetitia Mergui’s departure. As Lemaire is expanding its international retail presence along with its creative identity, Godbillon will support business growth. 

What Happened?

Lemaire has appointed Clarisse Godbillon as managing director, succeeding Laetitia Mergui. Godbillon returned to the French fashion house in September.

As per Yahoo Finance, she has previously worked as chief financial officer (CFO) at Lemaire, before joining as chief operating officer. Later on, she joined French fashion label Jacquemus as COO, with additional experience in managing business operations.

In January 2026, Lemaire opened its biggest flagship store in Shanghai, China. The company also expanded its retail presence with a new boutique in Paris at the Palais-Royal in May. 

Godbillon on her LinkedIn, expressed her excitement regarding returning back to the fashion house. She has also mentioned the brand’s identity along with the chance to work with teams whose passion and high standards she shares. 

The appointment is also a reflection of Lemaire’s focus on its growth while taking care of creative independence. 

Key Highlights

• Brand: Lemaire
• Appointment: Clarisse Godbillon as Managing Director
• Announcement Date: October 29, 2026
• New Role Effective: September 2026
• Predecessor: Laetitia Mergui
• Previous Position: Chief Operating Officer at Jacquemus
• Previous Roles at Lemaire: Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer
• Business Development: International retail expansion
• Recent Retail Developments: New boutiques in Shanghai and Paris

Lemaire Appoints Clarisse Godbillon: Key Lessons for Fashion D2C Brands

Lemaire’s leadership reflects how fashion brands can grow globally when appointing leaders experienced in business management. For D2C brands, growth management matters more than increasing online sales. Businesses also require to coordinate operations, customer experience, retail expansion and brand positioning. 

Godbillon’s experience in finance and operations at Lemaire and her role at Jacquemus help her become an expert in the growth of the company. As fashion brands enter new markets, it requires experienced leaders who help in business operations while ensuring consistency across different sales channels. 

Lemaire’s appointment also indicates a required balance of brand identity with retail expansion. As Lemaire is focusing on strengthening its physical retail presence while maintaining its established design philosophy, other fashion brands can also follow the same route. They can ensure their websites, stores, customer interactions, and product presentations have a consistent brand identity. 

Shoppers can come across stylish and unique women’s dresses, all available on a single platform – NineE. 

About Lemaire

Lemaire was founded in 1991 by Christophe Lemaire. This French luxury fashion house is well-known for versatile silhouettes, Parisian aesthetics, along with functional accessories and clothing for day-to-day use. At present, Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran are the leaders of Lemaire’s creative direction. Its collection includes womenswear, menswear, shoes, bags and accessories. The collection’s major focus is on the adaptable designs and quality materials.