Escada

MUNICH, Germany (AFP) - Escada, the German maker of luxury ready-to-wear women's clothes, said it has appointed Damiano Biella, design director with the Italian fashion brand Valentino, as its new creative director.
Biella, 35, will be Escada's new creative head from October 1, the fashion house said in a statement.
He has been Valentino's design director since 2003 after serving as creative director at Carolina Herrera for five years. He has also worked for Celine and Gucci.
During his tenure at Valentino, Biella had been tipped by insiders as a potential successor to the Roman couturier.
He was credited with bringing strong merchandising skills to the fashion house and successfully expanding its diffusion lines.
At Escada, Biella will take over from Brian Rennie, 43, who was responsible for the development of collections since 1994.
"With Damiano Biella, we want to open a new era in the design of the Escada brand," said chief executive Frank Rheinboldt