A mastermind of some of Sephora‘s key categories is set to retire.
Alison Hahn, Sephora’s Stateside senior vice president of merchandising for makeup, fragrance and Sephora at Kohl’s, will be retiring at the end of August.
Effective Aug. 25, the organization has made some shifts to its internal organization, including Carye Campbell’s promotion to senior vice president of merchandising for fragrance.
Amy Abrams, the senior vice president of merchandising, makeup, is broadening her purview to the whole category. Jennifer Cohen, vice president of makeup merchandising, will report to Abrams. Laurette Puhlmann is taking on all of Sephora Collection of makeup and being promoted to senior director. She will report to Cohen, and Sephora will also be opening a new vice president of merchandising role for makeup. Sydney Feeter and Jessica Harvey will also report to Abrams.
For Sephora at Kohl’s, Bronwen Russell will helm merchandising and report to Carolyn Bojanowski, executive vice president, merchandising, U.S., at the retailer.
“Alison leaves an incredible legacy and imprint on our business,” Bojanowski wrote in a memo to employees. “Hailed as one of the most talented merchants in the beauty community, she’s been at the forefront of discovering many breakout brands including Haus Labs, Rare Beauty and Kayali. She’s also helped grow the fragrance category and was instrumental in signing over 100 beauty brands into Sephora at Kohl’s.”
Makeup is beauty’s largest category in the U.S. prestige market, while fragrance is the runner-up and fastest growing, and both have been busy at Sephora. Mary Phillips revealed the launch of her new makeup brand, M.Ph, at the retailer Monday; Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty is introducing fragrance at Sephora as reported Tuesday.
“There’s so many different clients out there who are interested in a lot of different things. They all have great innovation, they’re great new voices in makeup, specifically in artistry, and we love to prioritize emerging talent,” Hahn said of Phillips’ brand. “We strive to be the best at that, that’s our role to deliver great brands and products to our clients. That’s our north star.”
Hahn joined Sephora after working in home, fashion and accessories, and as she told WWD in 2023 at the time of her CEW Women’s Leadership Awards honoring, “Any good merchant, and any good business, has to think of the client first. You must have a client-first mindset, it’s not ego-driven.”
