Arie Kopelman New York NY Obituary Former President of Chanel, Dies at 86: Arie Kopelman, Chanel Inc.’s former president and chief operational officer, died Monday night at the age of 86. He was credited with helping create huge development for the French luxury brand.Kopelman’s daughter, Jill Kargman, announced his death on Instagram, stating that the reason was pancreatic cancer. Kopelman was recognised as a knowledgeable, hard-nosed businessman and astute marketer with a sense of humour, endearing himself to the industry with his creative riffs on marketing jargon and uncanny impersonations of department store officials. “Retail is in the detail, darling,” was one of his favourites.
Alain Wertheimer, Chanel’s global executive chairman, stated on Tuesday that “Arie was an exceptional leader and a great asset to Chanel, helping to build an incredibly strong foundation for the House.” More importantly, he was a wonderful buddy with a great sense of humour who will be deeply missed.”
Chanel issued a statement saying, “We are profoundly saddened to learn of Arie Kopelman’s demise. Arie was a visionary leader who crafted an ambitious strategy for Chanel, setting the groundwork for a strong and enduring company. He was known for his charm and empathy, and he personified the attributes of a leader who was truly committed to mentoring people around him, resulting in a one-of-a-kind culture. During his time in the House, Arie was an active philanthropist, supporting a variety of cultural and humanitarian causes. He leaves an outstanding professional and personal legacy, which he should be quite proud of.
Kopelman was born on September 23, 1938, in Brookline, Massachusetts. He attended the Boston Latin School and Williston Academy before graduating from Johns Hopkins University in 1960, where he studied pre-medicine and majored in art history. He later earned an MBA from Columbia University.
Kopelman’s first job was to market Procter & Gamble’s Ivory soap bar. As part of his schooling, Kopelman worked in sales for six months in Reno, Nevada, where he also received flying lessons, met Bill Harrod of Harrods Casino as a classmate, and was persuaded to test out his comic routine. Kopelman had pondered a career as a stand-up comedian. He has stated that if he had not pursued retail, he may have ended up in the entertainment industry.
