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Leading Through Change: Vanessa LeFebvre on Curiosity, Courage and Conviction
Retail transformation doesn’t start with bold declarations. It starts with listening.
In this episode of Retail Relates, Rich Honiball, Tony Wells, and Judy Sedjiny sit down with Vanessa LeFebvre, a global retail leader who has spent her career operating at the intersection of brand, data, and execution.
Vanessa shares pivotal moments that shaped her leadership journey — from building Macy’s Backstage into a scalable off-price format, to partnering with data scientists at Stitch Fix, to leading global brands through moments of reinvention and exit. Across each chapter, her philosophy remains consistent: listen first, confront reality early, and connect strategy to the teams responsible for delivering it.
The conversation explores:
- Why curiosity is a leadership advantage, not a liability
- How psychological safety directly impacts performance
- The role of data in decision-making — and where it falls short
- Why transformation fails when leaders rush past understanding
- How to lead teams through change without burning trust
This episode offers a practical, experience-driven perspective on leadership, growth, and what it takes to guide organizations through complexity with clarity and care.
About Vanessa LeFebvre
Vanessa LeFebvre is a global retail transformation and growth leader with deep expertise across merchandising, brand strategy, and operational execution.
Most recently, Vanessa served as President of Champion Global, where she helped guide the brand through a $1.2B strategic exit, leading complex P&Ls across wholesale, DTC, licensing, and global markets. She now serves as Global President of Activewear at HanesBrands, overseeing a portfolio that includes Champion, Hanes, Alternative Apparel, and Gear for Sports.
Earlier in her career, Vanessa served as SVP, Commercial North America at Adidas, helping scale the region to $6B; President of Lord & Taylor; VP of Women’s Merchandising at Stitch Fix, partnering closely with data scientists; and as the principal architect of Macy’s Backstage, growing the concept from pilot to scale. She began her career at Lord & Taylor and has held leadership roles at TJX Companies and Daffy’s.
Vanessa holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, serves on the boards of Soles4Souls and Runway of Dreams, and is a founding member of Chief.
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By The Retail Relates TeamRetail transformation doesn’t start with bold declarations. It starts with listening.
In this episode of Retail Relates, Rich Honiball, Tony Wells, and Judy Sedjiny sit down with Vanessa LeFebvre, a global retail leader who has spent her career operating at the intersection of brand, data, and execution.
Vanessa shares pivotal moments that shaped her leadership journey — from building Macy’s Backstage into a scalable off-price format, to partnering with data scientists at Stitch Fix, to leading global brands through moments of reinvention and exit. Across each chapter, her philosophy remains consistent: listen first, confront reality early, and connect strategy to the teams responsible for delivering it.
The conversation explores:
- Why curiosity is a leadership advantage, not a liability
- How psychological safety directly impacts performance
- The role of data in decision-making — and where it falls short
- Why transformation fails when leaders rush past understanding
- How to lead teams through change without burning trust
This episode offers a practical, experience-driven perspective on leadership, growth, and what it takes to guide organizations through complexity with clarity and care.
About Vanessa LeFebvre
Vanessa LeFebvre is a global retail transformation and growth leader with deep expertise across merchandising, brand strategy, and operational execution.
Most recently, Vanessa served as President of Champion Global, where she helped guide the brand through a $1.2B strategic exit, leading complex P&Ls across wholesale, DTC, licensing, and global markets. She now serves as Global President of Activewear at HanesBrands, overseeing a portfolio that includes Champion, Hanes, Alternative Apparel, and Gear for Sports.
Earlier in her career, Vanessa served as SVP, Commercial North America at Adidas, helping scale the region to $6B; President of Lord & Taylor; VP of Women’s Merchandising at Stitch Fix, partnering closely with data scientists; and as the principal architect of Macy’s Backstage, growing the concept from pilot to scale. She began her career at Lord & Taylor and has held leadership roles at TJX Companies and Daffy’s.
Vanessa holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, serves on the boards of Soles4Souls and Runway of Dreams, and is a founding member of Chief.