The Duke Business of Retail Society launched its Industry Insights Series with the Luxury Fashion Panel at the Nasher Museum of Art, bringing together students and alumni for a focused discussion on leadership, brand storytelling, and the evolving luxury fashion landscape. The panel featured 3 key industry leaders.

Rebekah McCabe is General Manager of Fashion at Chanel, overseeing the brand’s U.S. market. Since joining Chanel in 2005, she has led creative and brand communications, artistic direction, and store design, shaping the house’s storytelling and cultural partnerships.

As President of Moda Operandi, April Hennig has a demonstrated gift for elevating businesses from early stage to well established companies. Moda Operandi is a global platform curating runway—to-wardrobe fashion from the world’s top designers. She drives the brand’s vision at the intersection of fashion, commerce, and creativity.

The panel was moderated by Doug Melville, Global Head of Equity at Richemont, Forbes contributor, author, and leading strategist in reputation management. He guides equity initiatives across 40 countries for brands like Cartier and Chloe, previously working on the executive team at Magic Johnson Enterprises.

Together, the panel explored balancing heritage with innovation, building culturally relevant brands, and navigating long-term strategy in luxury. The conversation offered candid perspectives on career paths and leadership, with a student Q&A providing direct industry insight and advice.