Stefano Marchetto

Head of Product Development & Materials | Apparel | VF Corporation

Stabio, Ticino, Switzerland

About

I work in fashion product development, first with my own brands, then at VF Corporation with Napapijri and Dickies. I have managed collections of hundreds of styles per season, coordinated teams across Europe, Asia and America, and served on the Dickies EMEA Senior Leadership Team with direct reporting to HQ in Fort Worth, Texas and Regional General Manager. My work has always been about bringing different functions together on a single timeline: design, merchandising, sales, operations, supply chain. I have built processes from scratch, worked with a network of garment factories and materials suppliers across three continents, and delivered measurable results on margin, timing and quality. Before VF, I founded two fashion brands from design and production to distribution. That experience taught me to think about the full product cycle, not just my piece of it. Energised by complex challenges building new processes, developing teams, and turning a clear vision into a product that works.

Experience

  • Senior Manager, Product Development at Sportlux Swiss SA
    Nov 2025 - Present · 8 mos

    Dickies EMEA/APAC licensee under Bluestar Alliance. Acting as Head of Product Development during the brand transition from VF Corporation. Developed a collection of 300+ styles, managing fittings, materials and costs across existing and new suppliers in parallel.

  • Dickies®, a VF Company (Full-time · 7 yrs 2 mos)
    • Senior Manager, Global Product Development
      Aug 2022 - Jun 2026 · 3 yrs 11 mos

      Member of the Dickies EMEA Senior Leadership Team, reporting directly to HQ in Fort Worth, Texas. Led a team of 4 (1 pattern maker, 3 PDs). Weekly 1:1s, annual goals, performance reviews, onboarding. Managed four concurrent project streams — Main Collection, SMU, QTM and Brand Collaborations — each with different timelines, margin targets, MOQs and designers. 300+ styles per season. Close collaboration with designers in pre-development: creative briefs, material selection, proto review and fit sessions. Coordination across 7 global functions on a single shared timeline. Direct relationship with VF sourcing teams in Singapore, Dhaka, Istanbul, Ho Chi Minh City and Kuala Lumpur. Key results: +20% gross margin over 6 years · 95% P1 styles in-house · 97% SMS on time · 85% P1 approved for SMS

    • Product Development Manager - Dickies EMEA
      May 2019 - Aug 2022 · 3 yrs 4 mos

      Built the entire product development process for Dickies in Stabio from scratch, including tools for collection management, development workflows, and seasonal calendars. Scaled responsibilities from category-level oversight to full ownership of the lifestyle collection, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and strategic alignment across all product lines. Led development across 9+ categories including Apparel, Accessories, Bags, Headwear, and Underwear. Managed key development processes: seasonal calendar planning, materials development, BOM creation, FOB negotiations, fit sessions, and factory support. Oversaw the full development cycle from design handover to SMS and bulk production for main collections, SMUs, QTMs, and brand collaborations. Established a stable and collaborative network across VF departments globally including Design, Merchandising, Sourcing, Quality Control, Planning, and Brand Management. Initiated strategic development projects to enhance brand competitiveness and anticipate future market needs.

  • Product Manager Napapijri at Napapijri, a VF Company
    Mar 2013 - Apr 2019 · 6 yrs 2 mos

  • VF International Sagl (5 yrs 1 mo)
    • Junior Product Manager
      Jun 2012 - Mar 2013 · 10 mos

    • Assistant Product Manager
      Jan 2011 - Jun 2012 · 1 yr 6 mos

    • Product Developer
      Mar 2008 - Jan 2011 · 2 yrs 11 mos

  • Co-fondatore at Calderone Sas
    Aug 2004 - Jan 2008 · 3 yrs 6 mos

    DUEAM - Fashion Brand Designed and produced original garments by coordinating with pattern makers, laundries, fabric suppliers, and print/embroidery partners. Created collections of around 40 pieces per season, including t-shirts, polos, fleeces, and knitwear for both men and women. Released two seasonal collections per year, sold in 22 shops across Italy during the final season. Parallel Business PONGO Brand Ran a side project under the brand PONGO, focused on event merchandising. Created branded t-shirts, flyers, and promotional items for parties, bars, music bands, and football teams.