Guess? has announced that co-founder and chairman Maurice Marciano will retire at the end of his contract on January 28, 2012.
Marciano moved from France to L.A. and started the brand with his three brothers in 1981. Today, he and brother Paul remain with the company, with Maurice having assumed his current role as head of the board of directors in 2007. Upon retiring, he will stay on as a non-executive consultant, outlining his plans in a press release:
"Since we began, our vision has been to build an iconic brand that would resonate with consumers all around the world. Today, Guess? has become a lifestyle brand present in 90 countries. I am proud of the work we have done and of the strong management team that we have assembled. As Chairman of the Board, I will continue to oversee the strategy of the Company as well as its expansion and well being."
For decades, the look and feel of Guess? has remained remarkably consistent, from the Claudia Schiffer and Anna Nicole Smith bombshell days to the current cover girls. We wouldn't be surprised if, come 2012, that iconic look gets an update for the new era.