Marie Claire

Moda Operandi, which has been making a splash since launching in February with fashions fresh from the runway, has hired away two executives from the more traditional fashion world. This week, the company named long-time Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman executive Roopal Patel as fashion director and former Marie Claire style director Taylor Tomasi Hill as creative director.

In 21 years at Newport News, Geralynn Madonna has become the chief ambassador for this fashion-forward catalog brand. Having studied fashion at F.I.T. in New York before making her way into the catalog industry at Lane Bryant, Madonna moved in 1981 to Newport News’ predecessor, Avon Fashions. Starting as an assistant buyer in the swimwear department, she was quickly promoted through the ranks, first to buyer, and then on to director, vice president of merchandising and executive vice president before landing in her current post. Madonna has seen the catalog through a series of changes, including a leveraged buyout in 1987 and the