CEO MONTHLY / OCTOBER 2025 12 Over its nearly 56-year history, the common theme for JET SET has been the relentless pursuit Since 1969, JET SET, the ‘House of the Star Ski Pant’, has been helping people to turn heads on the slopes thanks to its signature ski clothing. Although the brand began to fade from view slightly following its glory days of the ‘90s and early 2000s, its story was far from over, and the arrival of Adrian Josef Margelist earlier this year has been the shot in the arm the company needed. Named the Most Influential CEO 2025 – Fashion & Lifestyle (Zurich) in this feature, we caught up with Adrian for more. of innovation. In the modern day, this dedication translates to striking a balance between its heritage and the bold future ahead of it, something it does by creating technical fashion that is as unique as it is authentic. This belief in the power of individuality to shape the course of history is what guides the brand, what inspires it to redefine freedom for its customers and create a legacy that spans multiple generations. Although the brand may be in full swing today, this was not always the case, something CEO Adrian Josef Margelist is more than happy to admit. When he joined the team in January, it was clear that JET SET needed repositioning – a turnaround. Luckily, this is what Adrian specialises in. “As a brand architect and shaper, it has been my honour to reshape this brand to make it contemporary heritage”, he explained. This has involved a meticulous process of reorganisation, rebuilding, finding the right talent, and creating new processes. Adrian has experience across all of these areas, having enjoyed a diverse range of roles across the fashion industry over the course of a 25-year career, ascending the ranks to the C-suite position he occupies today. Going back to the beginning, Adrian started out as working as an assistant designer at Vivienne Westwood, slowly taking on more responsibilities as he progressed through creative roles across Fabric Frontline, Rossi, and Esprit. In 2008, a chance opportunity saw Adrian able to co-direct a repositioning project of MCM Worldwide, prior to the global relaunch of the brand. Adrian quickly came to appreciate the business side of the fashion industry, and he spent the next several years studying it during his time with the company, even moving to Seoul to oversee some key stages of the repositioning. Adrian secured his first C-level role during this period, resulting in a change of course that would lead him to more managerial-type positions. These experiences, combined with Adrian completing an IMD-run course on SecureBased Leadership in both Lausanne and Singapore and working with personal growth coaches in Europe and the US, have resulted in this CEO favouring an approach that prioritises the unique. The recognition that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution led Adrian to focus on what his people need and how he can serve them best, something he does through a threestage process of supporting, empowering, and enabling his teams. “We are a true team”, Adrian told us. “We see our project and mission as being like a ‘team sport’. Everyone has clear functions, roles, responsibilities, and deliverables.” In the fastpaced environment JET SET operates in, this approach is key, as it allows the brand to navigate its surroundings with maximum impact. What also helps is that Adrian has the complete trust of the owner family, and with no stakeholders to appease or complex decision-making processes to go through, the brand can be fast, agile, and innovative. However, this is not to say it is always plain sailing, and one of the challenges JET SET is currently facing is the US’ import tariffs on foreign products. Attempting to navigate the consumer landscape in the US is tough, and the fragility of the luxury industry as a result is something the brand is continuing to face. Nevertheless, Adrian setting clear roadmaps – at 12, 24, and 36 months, respectively – is helping the brand to continue to work towards its aims: building hype, building associations, and building the community. Finally, touching on his own career, Adrian said: “I am turning 50 this year and have been all over the world in the past 25 years. I would love to see JET SET and our team succeed. This being sort of my last project, I would also like to spend the last chapter of my active career supporting and consulting the next generations of leaders.” We wish Adrian the best of luck with this, recognising his contributions to JET SET thus far with a well-deserved title and a place in this feature. Company Name Contact: Adrian Josef Margelist Company: JET SET Web Address: https://jetset.ch/ Redefining the House of Stars
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