Former Coach exec gets foot in Nine West

NEW YORK — The Jones Group Inc. has appointed Joseph Stafiniak to the newly created position of SVP merchandising of Nine West, effective immediately. In this role, Stafiniak will operate as the lead merchant for Nine West overseeing merchandising strategies and the execution of product to meet the expanding needs of the brand's global business. He will report to Kathy Nedorostek, group president of global footwear and accessories.

"Nine West is the ultimate resource for women seeking great footwear of all styles, and we remain focused on continuing to grow the business and further expanding our product offerings through the addition of exceptional talent like Joseph," said Kathy Nedorostek, group president of global footwear and accessories. "Joseph is a highly respected industry executive with a unique ability to work in tandem with both design and retail to deliver product that resonates with consumers, and we are excited to welcome him to Nine West."

"I look forward to working with the accomplished management team at The Jones Group," said Stafiniak. "Nine West is a highly respected brand with terrific recognition among consumers and tremendous growth potential worldwide in footwear and all accessory categories."

Stafiniak joins The Jones Group from Coach Inc. where he served as the SVP licensed categories since 2007. In that position, he oversaw all aspects of licensing and merchandising for the footwear, watches, eyewear and fragrance categories. He previously held the position of VP general manager of footwear for Coach Inc., in which he was responsible for all areas of footwear including merchandising, product development, design and production.

Previously, Stafiniak held senior merchandising and design roles with Ralph Lauren Footwear, Giorgio Armani, and cK Calvin Klein. Prior to his work in merchandising and design, Stafiniak served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the cK Calvin Klein Shoes & Bags division of Nine West Group where he played a key role in its launch. Stafiniak has also served as President of Anne Klein Collection.