Wacoal appoints chief product officer and director of design

Lingerie and swimwear company Wacoal Europe has announced that its long-serving design director, Jo West, has retired after 30 years with the company and has appointed Clare Turner as chief product officer and Charlie Austin as director of design.

West, who retired on June 1, played a significant role in shaping Wacoal Europe’s branded portfolio, “combining creative vision with a deep understanding of women’s needs and championing product excellence, innovation and consumer-focused design,” said the company.

Her influence can be seen across many of the company’s most successful collections, including best-selling ranges such as Fusion and Illusion.

Commenting on West’s retirement, Geoff Embley, chief executive at Wacoal Europe, said in a statement: "Jo’s contribution to Wacoal over the past three decades has been extraordinary. Through her creativity, leadership and unwavering focus on customers, she has helped shape some of our most successful brands and products, leaving a legacy that will continue to influence our business for years to come."

Following West’s retirement, Wacoal has introduced a new leadership structure, creating two senior positions: chief product officer and director of design, as part of its continued focus on “future growth and innovation”.

Turner, who joined Wacoal following the acquisition of Bravissimo in 2024, has been appointed chief product officer and will lead the product vision and strategy across both Bravissimo and the Wacoal-branded portfolio.

At Bravissimo, Turner held several senior roles spanning product development, buying, merchandising, technical and business operations, and her background of product expertise, commercial acumen and customer insight “positions her strongly to lead the group’s future product strategy,” added Wacoal.

In addition, Austin has been appointed director of design for Wacoal Brands, reporting to Turner. She brings 18 years of experience working with Wacoal, including leading the Fantasie Lingerie and Swimwear brand since 2015.