SET Sets Ludwig In Place As Chief Creative Officer

Kirsten-Ludwig-B(Editor's Note: This story incorrectly described Spanish retailer Zara as an Italian retailer, and has been corrected here.)

Portland, Ore-based agency SET has opened shop in New York and has hired fashion industry veteran Kirsten Ludwig as its first chief creative officer. She will also run the New York office.

The agency is the latest in a string of shops outside of New York that have opted to establish a presence in the Big Apple. Earlier this year, McKinney, a unit of South Korea’s Cheil Worldwide, and Omnicom’s Goodby Silverstein & Partners confirmed plans to open offices there. Last year, M&C Saatchi did so, as did Leo Burnett in 2011.

SET (as in clients are all SET if they choose this agency) is an experiential, in-store and retail marketing and design specialist, founded three years ago by CEO Sabina Teshler. The agency has grown rapidly in that time, accruing revenue in 2012 of $24 million, Teshler confirmed.

The 55-person agency counts among its clients athletic apparel giant Nike, NBC, clothing company Icebreaker, Victoria’s Secret, fashion house Alexander McQueen and Italian retailer Zara.

Having a full-time presence in New York is a “natural extension for us,” said Teshler, given that the city is the “heart of retail and fashion.”   

Several existing clients, including Nike, have a major presence in the city. Zara’s North American operation is based there as well. The retailer has aggressive plans for new store openings around the country and has enlisted SET to help design the retail experience strategy for those stores.

Also, SET has ambitious plans to grow its roster of East Coast-based clients, Teshler said.

Ludwig is a 15-year retail and fashion veteran who has served as marketing creative director for brands, including Anthropologie, Ralph Lauren, American Eagle, Stella & Dot and Louis Boston.  She has also run her own marketing consultancy.

Teshler said that Ludwig is well-suited to the new role, given her impressive creative skills. “She understands how to bring [a concept] to life, and how to get it done.”

Ludwig said she has had an “ongoing dialogue” with the agency for about 18 months, and the time seemed right to sign up and help the shop execute its expansion strategy. “It’s a great opportunity to create something,” she said.

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1 comment about "SET Sets Ludwig In Place As Chief Creative Officer".
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  1. veronica falcon from Vero & Partners, April 16, 2013 at 9:25 a.m.

    ZARA is a Spanish retailer, not Italian, based in Northwest Spain (Galicia).

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