Barbara LaMonica, FIT mentor & Founding Partner at LaMonica-Baas Group, is an innovative, seasoned fashion industry professional, with an extensive background in retail and wholesale management of luxury apparel and accessories.

Barbara was Senior Vice President and General Merchandise Manager of luxury retailer, Bergdorf Goodman. Overseeing Women’s Designer, Contemporary, Private label and Intimate Apparel divisions, Barbara was responsible for planning and implementing sales, merchandising and marketing strategies to deliver corporate margin performance.

During her seventeen-year career at Bergdorf, Barbara was instrumental in building the businesses of many prominent designers, including Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan and Azzedine Alia.

Prior to founding LaMonica-Baas Group, Barbara was the President of Michael Kors, where she also served on the Board of Directors. At Michael Kors, Barbara oversaw sales, marketing, merchandising and retail divisions for the Michael Kors and Kors brands. Working closely with the licensees of shoes, handbags, furs, jewelry, watches, eyewear and fragrance, Barbara developed strong partnerships that ensured brand consistency and was instrumental in expanding the brand into global markets. Barbara also spear-headed the Company’s entry into the retail sector, overseeing the retail strategy and planning of the first free-standing Michael Kors stores in the US, Europe and Asia.