Disappearing act: What happened to Apple’s Angela Ahrendts?

11 years ago

“The news that Microsoft is opening a flagship on Fifth Avenue, not far from an Apple store, reminded me of a question that has been niggling at me for the last few weeks — ever since the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced its fashion gala in May would be sponsored by Apple, and WME/IMG debuted its all-fashion channel on Apple TV,” Vanessa Friedman writes for The New York Times. “What happened to Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president of retail and online stores, and its biggest fashion hire? Where is she in all of this?”

“In 2013, when Ms. Ahrendts was poached with great fanfare from Burberry, where she was chief executive, fashion speculated that she might become the friendlier, more stylish, face of Apple; in her former job, she had been known for her communication skills and charm, and Apple is not known for its female executives. The potential upside of having her as both a manager and an ambassador seemed high,” Friedman writes. “Yet since starting last year… she has largely disappeared from public view.”

“Instead, it is Jonathan Ive, chief design officer of Apple, who has become the face of the brand. It is Mr. Ive who will be at the top of the Met’s steps with Anna Wintour, welcoming guests to the gala as an official ‘co-chair’; Mr. Ive who popped up, somewhat surprisingly, on the Vanity Fair best-dressed list last month; Mr. Ive who has become the embodiment of Apple’s ambitions in the fashion world,” Friedman writes. “It’s been more than 16 months [since Ahrendts arrived at Apple], and it’s hard not to think Apple is missing a trick here. Especially if it is interested in casting itself in part as a fashion brand.”

Read more in the full article here.

MacDailyNews Take: Her relative absence from the public is perplexing, especially at something that’s such a natural fit like the Met Gala star-studded fashion event where everyone, including ourselves, would expect to see her front and center. Her elusiveness will inevitably lead to speculation.

SEE ALSO:
Jony Ive and Anna Wintour: Machines can build beautiful things – October 21, 2015
Jony Ive and Taylor Swift to cohost next Met Gala star-studded fashion event – October 16, 2015
Apple’s Jony Ive, Jimmy Iovine to talk tech and entertainment at Vanity Fair event – August 26, 2015