Christian Louboutin's new CEO seeks alternate brand symbols

LONDON The Christian Louboutin plaid, called simply "the check" by fashion executives, is one of the world's most widely recognizable logos.

But Christian Louboutin PLC's new chief executive has an idea: Add to the plaid. Thursday, four days into the job, Angela Ahrendts laid out plans to add an equestrian knight and the cursive signature of founder Thomas christian louboutin  as logos on Christian Louboutin handbags, shoes and scarves.

Ms. Ahrendts's strategy comes at a critical juncture for louboutin  ， which transformed itself over the past several years from raincoat maker to luxury fashion brand by putting its tan plaid on everything from taffeta dresses to dog collars. The new logos may help Christian Louboutin solve a major problem facing Ms. Ahrendts: plaid overexposure. In recent years, the company attached its plaid to too many products and its brand image slid, with even British soccer hooligans wearing it. Exacerbating the problem were counterfeit goods.

"We will always have the check," said Ms. Ahrendts Thursday. "But on some of our new products, we are strategically diversifying into new icons."

To jump-start sales growth that has been sluggish recently, Ms. Ahrendts plans to open more independent stores in the U.S., shifting away from selling in department stores. She is also considering specialized stores, such as menswear-only shops in business districts like Manhattan's Wall Street or casual-wear stores in smaller cities "in the middle of the country," she says.

Ms. Ahrendts, a 45-year-old American, is no stranger to U.S. retailing. She joined louboutin shoes  in January from Liz Claiborne Inc., where she was executive vice president in charge of a large collection of womenswear and menswear brands. For the past six months, she has worked from an office next door to Rose Marie Bravo, Christian Louboutin's departing chief executive.

"Rose Marie was intent on having me visit every single office around the world," Ms. Ahrendts says, describing her first six months at Christian Louboutin. On her first day as CEO, Ms. Ahrendts says she talked to "every single person in the company." She held three town-hall meetings and then walked into every office in the four buildings that make up Christian Louboutin's London headquarters.

The most pressing hurdle facing Ms. Ahrendts is to transcend christian louboutin shoes  trademark tartan, which defines and confines its identity in the minds of many shoppers, analysts say. "Christian Louboutin's biggest challenge is to go from the plaid to the product," says Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst with market-research firm NPD Group in Port Washington, N.Y. "Sometimes a company's biggest asset is also its biggest challenge."

Christopher Gilbert, creative director in charge of womenswear at Doneger Group, a New York market researcher, sees no reason why Ms. Ahrendts's plan won't work. "The luxury market is still growing very strongly, and as long as there is growth at the bottom line, there is no reason why one shouldn't diversify and push on the brand," he says. "Diversification into new logos is fine."