Apple appears to have hired Levi Strauss senior VP for unknown retail position
As of July, Enrique Atienza, a Levi Strauss senior vice president, has supposedly been working at Apple in an unspecified retail role, suggesting the Cupertino company may finally be close to filling the position left by former retail store head John Browett.
According to his LinkedIn profile and Facebook page, Atienza, who also goes by the name Quique, is now working at "Apple Retail" in an undisclosed role.
Atienza's profile still lists his current job as Levi Strauss Senior Vice President Retail Americas and Global Store Operations and Training COE, a position he took in July 2012 after serving as VP of Retail and Operations for two years. However, Levi's spokeswoman Rebecca Youngs confirmed that the executive is no longer with the company. She had no information as to Atienza's current employment situation. Prior to his time at Levi's, Atienza spent almost two years as VP of Store Operations at the Disney Store.
Apple is in the midst of finding a replacement for John Browett, who was taken on to fill the shoes of former retail chief Ron Johnson in 2012. Browett was fired only ten months later after a rash of complaints from Apple Store staff led to questions on the executive's plans for the business.
When Browett was ousted, Apple CEO Tim Cook said he would take reins of retail operations until a suitable replacement was found. The vacated position still remains unfilled.
According to his LinkedIn profile and Facebook page, Atienza, who also goes by the name Quique, is now working at "Apple Retail" in an undisclosed role.
Atienza's profile still lists his current job as Levi Strauss Senior Vice President Retail Americas and Global Store Operations and Training COE, a position he took in July 2012 after serving as VP of Retail and Operations for two years. However, Levi's spokeswoman Rebecca Youngs confirmed that the executive is no longer with the company. She had no information as to Atienza's current employment situation. Prior to his time at Levi's, Atienza spent almost two years as VP of Store Operations at the Disney Store.
Apple is in the midst of finding a replacement for John Browett, who was taken on to fill the shoes of former retail chief Ron Johnson in 2012. Browett was fired only ten months later after a rash of complaints from Apple Store staff led to questions on the executive's plans for the business.
When Browett was ousted, Apple CEO Tim Cook said he would take reins of retail operations until a suitable replacement was found. The vacated position still remains unfilled.
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
When Browett was ousted, Apple CEO Tim Cook said he would take reins of retail operations until a suitable replacement was found. The vacated position still remains unfilled.
Don't be silly, John Browett was so bad he didn't even leave an open space at Apple when they tossed him out.
My take on this news is that since Enrique Atienza is still working for Levi while at Apple, he & Apple will be redesigning jeans so that Samsung's oversized phablets can't be stuffed into the pockets.
And Apple has been researching wearable computing for years.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpamSandwich
True enough, jonorom. The direction computing is going is indeed toward "fashion" and an on-body form factor. I personally don't think Google Glass is the future, but it's the beginning of that future.
Yes, as consumer computing becomes closer to the human, it will be form, function and fashion. The fact that they hired a fitness person away from Nike also blends into this...
Nike, YSL, Levis. All product a 'brand' that can carry a higher sticker price, yet have high repeat customers, a high perceived quality score, and push fashion design (well, maybe not Levi's), and are all international brands. Makes sense that Tim is forming a brain trust for the next big thing (after pods, phones, pads, watches, TVs... what's next?)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Macky the Macky
My take on this news is that since Enrique Atienza is still working for Levi while at Apple, he & Apple will be redesigning jeans so that Samsung's oversized phablets can't be stuffed into the pockets.
Interestingly I believe the iPad mini was designed to fit in the back pocket of mens 501, which they just barely do, without a case. I would not go very far like that or sit with it in the back pocket but it does fit. On another note I have personally noticed the 501s have started to wear out at the bottom of the left front pocket directly at the corner of the iPhone 5. I did not have this issue on the previous iPhones.
There actually are high priced Levi's (just not overwhelmingly so) and they've actually done a great job reviving the brand.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpamSandwich
True enough, jonorom. The direction computing is going is indeed toward "fashion" and an on-body form factor. I personally don't think Google Glass is the future, but it's the beginning of that future.
Google Glass cannot be the beginning of anything. There have been generations of optical head-mounted display before Glass, including commercially marketed ones. Arguably, it is the most publicized one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
Interestingly I believe the iPad mini was designed to fit in the back pocket of mens 501, which they just barely do, without a case.
Ipad Mini was designed to take advantage of the 163 ppi LCD panels manufactured for the iPhone 3GS, to simultaneously conform to the resolution of the iPad and to substantially reduce the bezel to facilitate one-hand grasps.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin Huber
Nah, just keepin' it Steve. Next hires will be from New Balance and Miyake.
Keeping it Steve? What from YSL did Jobs wear? His glasses?
Quote:
Originally Posted by StruckPaper
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
Interestingly I believe the iPad mini was designed to fit in the back pocket of mens 501, which they just barely do, without a case.
Ipad Mini was designed to take advantage of the 163 ppi LCD panels manufactured for the iPhone 3GS, to simultaneously conform to the resolution of the iPad and to substantially reduce the bezel to facilitate one-hand grasps.
That too. Many people think of Apple in terms of absolutes, however when designing mobile devices it is more important to consider the compromises you must accept to achieve the balance of the form factor along with function...and using the available technology. Apple is a master of compromise.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
Interestingly I believe the iPad mini was designed to fit in the back pocket of mens 501, which they just barely do, without a case. I would not go very far like that or sit with it in the back pocket but it does fit. On another note I have personally noticed the 501s have started to wear out at the bottom of the left front pocket directly at the corner of the iPhone 5. I did not have this issue on the previous iPhones.
Really, Apple based the design of the iPad mini on the size of a pants pocket.? SURE. What rumor sites have you been smoking? Give me some of that Mango Kush, Blueberry Haze, or Appleinsider hybrid.
California.. Levis, Apple, and medicinal weed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by msimpson
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
Interestingly I believe the iPad mini was designed to fit in the back pocket of mens 501, which they just barely do, without a case. I would not go very far like that or sit with it in the back pocket but it does fit. On another note I have personally noticed the 501s have started to wear out at the bottom of the left front pocket directly at the corner of the iPhone 5. I did not have this issue on the previous iPhones.
Really, Apple based the design of the iPad mini on the size of a pants pocket.? SURE. What rumor sites have you been smoking? Give me some of that Mango Kush, Blueberry Haze, or Appleinsider hybrid.
California.. Levis, Apple, and medicinal weed.
I think it was a Steve thing. He did not initially want a small iPad but perhaps he agreed if it could fit within his signature 501's back pocket. Just speculating. Your obsession with weed not withstanding.
In SK, there dabbling on this:
Steve Jobs came back to Apple and did wonders, perhaps Ron Johnson can do the same.
Time will tell.
Levi's and Disney stores both have that sort of highly branded experiential retail thing going on. I think it's a good pick.