ALL OR NOTHING: Charlie Smith is trading luxury fashion for tech and joining London-based smartphone maker Nothing in January.
Previously chief marketing and communications officer at Loewe, he is to oversee all of Nothing’s global brand, image, marketing, communications and store design, reporting to cofounder and chief executive officer Carl Pei.
“It has been an amazing experience to be a part of LVMH for the last seven years where I’ve had the opportunity to learn so much from Jonathan Anderson, from Pascale Lepoivre and from Sidney Toledano as well as others within the group,” Smith Told WWD, referring to Loewe’s previous creative director, current CEO and the head of LVMH Fashion Group, respectively. “Loewe’s journey from a niche Spanish luxury fashion brand to an internationally established house has been a privilege to be a part of.”
At Loewe, Smith oversaw its collaborations with Studio Ghibli, On Running and Japanese ceramic duo Suna Fujita, developed its TikTok strategy, and orchestrated partnerships with high-profile celebrities.
Pei said Smith “worked at the intersection of luxury, creativity and technology, building Loewe into one of the most culturally relevant brands amongst Gen Z in the world.”
“Our vision is to create the most loved tech company for the next generation, and there’s nobody better placed than Charlie to help Nothing redefine what’s possible in consumer technology,” he added.
Founded in 2020, London-based Nothing recently completed a Series C funding round of $200 million, valuing the company at $1.3 billion. It markets smartphones, smartwatches and audio products.
For his part, Smith said he relishes “the challenge of taking what I have learned from luxury fashion and applying it to consumer tech.”
“Nothing has a mission that really resonates with me, which is that technology should be fun, should connect us to culture and enable us to live our lives to the fullest, rather than distracting us,” he added.
