Recently, it has announced that Sarah Brown, Violet Grey’s Chief Brand Officer, has resigned from her position as Violet Grey’s Chief Brand Officer. It was reported that she left to pursue other opportunities.
Sarah Brown, who joined Violet Grey in 2021 and served as its chief brand officer since March, has stepped down to “pursue other opportunities,” a company spokesperson confirmed to WWD. Brown, a former beauty director at Vogue, initially joined the Los Angeles-based luxury beauty retailer as executive director of Violet Lab, the brand development division.
Her departure comes on the heels of significant ownership changes at Violet Grey. Founder Cassandra Grey reacquired the company in September with support from private equity investor Sherif Guirgis, after it was owned by Coupang-acquired Farfetch. While financial terms of the buyback remain undisclosed, Grey expressed her intent to strengthen Violet Lab’s role in brand incubation and acceleration.
Violet Grey, established in 2012 as a beauty blog, transitioned into e-commerce in 2014 and remains a highly curated luxury beauty destination. The retailer carries coveted brands such as Augustinus Bader, Victoria Beckham Beauty, and Dr. Barbara Sturm, and recently expanded its physical presence by opening a boutique at Hirshleifers in Manhasset, New York.
Farfetch initially acquired Violet Grey in 2022 for $49.4 million in cash, $1.3 million in reverse vesting shares, and $5 million in restricted stock units as part of its bid to attract digital beauty shoppers. Since then, Farfetch has exited its beauty business, and South Korea-based Coupang acquired the company for $500 million.
