MILAN — Less than six months into the job, Dsquared2 and Chiara Baravalle, who was named general manager of the brand Feb. 1, have parted ways, WWD has learned. Sources say Baravalle was let go this summer.
Asked to comment, Dsquared2 stated it “confirms that its professional collaboration with Chiara Baravalle has come to an end. The brand is currently working on a new organizational structure.”
The abrupt exit comes after a revolving door of executives at Dsquared2 and as sources say Renzo Rosso’s OTB Group, a longtime manufacturer of the brand through Staff International, was looking at taking control of the label but talks broke down after the summer.
Baravalle joined Dsquared2 from Forel, the operational investment firm founded by former Gucci president and chief executive officer Marco Bizzarri, where she led strategy, investments and portfolio development.
Previously she was general manager at Elisabetta Franchi and, before that, served as chief of staff to Bizzarri at Gucci and was a member of the company’s executive committee, leading global strategic priorities and transformation across the brand, as well as liaising with parent company Kering.
Earlier she worked at Bain & Company in the fashion and luxury practice after beginning her career in Silicon Valley. She graduated from Stanford University and is a U.S., Italian and French citizen.
Founders and designers Dean and Dan Caten had been leading the company since the exit in February 2024 of general manager Ennio Fontana, who departed after less than a year in the role. Fontana had succeeded Sergio Azzolari, who moved on to become Roberto Cavalli’s CEO, about a year after joining Dsquared2, taking on a post that had been vacant since 2017.
Baravalle joined Dsquared2 as the company renewed its licensing agreement with Staff International for the production and distribution of its ready-to-wear collections.
At the time, the Catens admitted the brand was “at a turning point” and that “the priority for 2026 is straightforward: setting the foundation for the next chapter. More concretely, this means reactivating the brand and stabilizing the business. Critically, we need to move forward with purpose, as one team moving in the same direction.”
As reported, at the end of last year Dsquared2 initiated a reorganization across its worldwide offices, which was said to impact around 15 percent of its workforce, a decision made in response to market challenges.
The last Dsquared2 fashion show was held in Milan in January, a coed lineup that had rippling effects and garnered a lot of attention since “Heated Rivalry” star Hudson Williams made his official debut in fashion by strutting the catwalk for the brand. Dsquared2 presented its spring 2027 men’s and women’s collections in September in the showroom by appointment in Milan.
The license with Staff International, controlled by the OTB Group, was first inked in 2000 and then renewed in 2020 through to 2027. The latest renewal spans another five years, until the fall 2031 season.
The extension came after Dsquared2 and Staff International last May resolved a legal dispute after the Catens shelved their decision to take back production of the fashion brand they founded in 1995.
Staff International is the manufacturing arm of OTB, which comprises the Diesel, Jil Sander, Maison Margiela, Marni and Viktor & Rolf brands, as well as the Brave Kid childrenswear producer. OTB also has a stake in Amiri.