UTA Launches Fashion Division, Extending Push To Diversify Its Business

As it continues to diversify its business with in-house moves and M&A deals, UTA has launched a fashion division.

UTA Fashion, which will be led by fashion industry vet Anne Nelson, will focus on expanding client activities in the fashion and beauty sectors.

Nelson has held exec posts at IMG, Elite Model Management and, more recently, CAA. She has served as a mentor to many models on the rise, helping to guide their career paths.

“Anne is one of the most respected fashion executives with deep and established relationships across the industry,” UTA Board member and Partner Blair Kohan and Partner Darnell Strom said in a joint statement. “She has a true passion for her clients and has been the architect behind many top career moments in the fashion world. For UTA, bringing her on board is a natural next step in the work we’ve been doing in this space, and we can’t wait to see what she will accomplish.”

The fashion industry, which is worth upwards of $2 trillion globally, is in the midst of a dramatic shift away from longtime economic models. It has also been increasingly cross-pollinating with the entertainment business. One recent example was the appointment of rapper and producer Pharrell Williams to oversee menswear design for French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton.

UTA’s latest move follows the acquisitions of publishing agency Fletcher and Company, top UK talent and literary agency Curtis Brown Group, and entertainment and marketing advisory firm MediaLink. UTA also received backing last July from private equity firm EQT.