3 business tips from the CEO of Tapestry, which owns fashion giants like Coach and Kate Spade

A Coach store in New York City.

As the CEO of the fashion company Tapestry, Joanne Crevoiserat steers popular brands like Coach, Kate Spade, and Stuart Weitzman.

In an interview with Fortune’s “Leadership Next,” which was released on Wednesday, Crevoiserat gave host Diane Brady her leadership, business, and career advice.

Here are three nuggets of wisdom from the chief.

1.Have ‘insatiable curiosity’ about the customer

Crevoiserat’s first top was to have “insatiable curiosity about the consumer.”

She said that understanding the customer goes beyond survey data and involves “going a step deeper into the consumer’s closet, into their home, and talking to them about what matters to them.”

Doing this ensures that the brand can build more relevant products and experiences for their consumers, she told Fortune.

2.Don’t be afraid to take side steps in your career

Her second piece of advice was to enjoy the career journey.

“Relationship building, understanding the end-to-end business is not always the intended outcome of a specific job,” Crevoiserat said to Fortune. “It’s not on your job responsibility list, but it helps you build your career.”

She also careers aren’t always going to be linear.

Crevoiserat has held top jobs in several retail companies, including Walmart, Kohl’s, and Abercrombie & Fitch. She became Tapestry’s CEO in 2020 after working as the company’s finance chief for a year.

“I’ve taken a few side steps in my career and people have said, ‘Trust me on this,’ and you have to have a little trust. But it has worked out,” Crevoiserat said.

She added, “And I do see the benefit of taking those side steps and being able to have a bigger picture and better perspective on business overall.

3.Inspiration strikes outside the office walls

Crevoiserat said that being “outdoors and moving” is essential.

“I get a lot of inspiration from being in the natural world, whether it be a walk along the Hudson or a hike in the mountains,” the leader said.

She said that staying inside a building all day makes it “hard to be inspired if all you’re seeing are the same four walls over and over again.”

She draws inspiration and energy from walking, running, hiking, and visiting museums in New York City, she added.

In the interview, Crevoiserat and Brady also discussed the potential impact of President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on foreign imports and Tapestry’s recently halted merger with fashion brand Capri.

Tapestry announced in August 2023 that it would buy Capri for $8.5 billion. Under the proposed merger, six high-end fashion brands would operate under one umbrella: Capri’s Versace, Jimmy Choo, and Michael Kors, along with Tapestry’s Coach, Stuart Weitzman, and Kate Spade.

But in October, a New York federal judge blocked the merger, saying it would “substantially lessen competition in the market for accessible-luxury handbags.”

Tapestry’s stock price is up 73% this year.

Representatives for Tapestry didn’t respond to a request for comment from B-17.