Her Story
About Carissa
Carissa Fortino is an accomplished international fashion and retail executive, consultant, and entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience building, launching, restructuring, and expanding businesses across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Russia. She earned a B.A. in Economics and Spanish from Indiana University Bloomington in 1992, providing an early foundation in international business, economics, and cross-cultural communication. Although she initially considered pursuing careers in finance and government service, an internship opportunity introduced her to the fashion industry and established the direction of her career. She subsequently progressed through a series of increasingly senior leadership positions, including spearheading operations in Far East Asia and serving as Managing Director of Tommy Hilfiger in Italy. During her tenure, she helped transform a declining $20 million business into a $100 million enterprise within four years, reflecting her expertise in market development, operational leadership, sales growth, and strategic business transformation.
Today, Fortino is the Founder of Magnifika, a fashion accessories company, and the Founder of Andromeda BV, an international consultancy specializing in retail, fashion, restructuring, and rebranding. Through her consulting and advisory work, she assists businesses with international expansion, new market launches, brand positioning, restructuring, licensing, acquisitions, revenue development, and long-term growth strategies. Her experience includes consulting with LVMH on market launches involving businesses and brands such as Duty Free Stores and Fendi. She has also served as a strategic advisor to companies across the fashion and retail industries, drawing on expertise that encompasses business planning and analysis, profit and revenue optimization, portfolio management, retail operations, merchandising, product development, contract negotiations, stakeholder engagement, and cross-functional team development. Her career has been distinguished by an ability to identify emerging opportunities, establish productive relationships with key decision-makers, and develop commercially focused strategies tailored to complex international markets.
A committed lifelong learner, Fortino has continued to expand her expertise as the fashion, retail, and technology landscapes evolve. She completed the Chief Revenue Officer program through Wharton Executive Education and pursued studies in AI Transformation and Strategy through Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, strengthening her understanding of emerging technologies and their implications for business leadership. She is fluent in English, Spanish, Dutch, and Italian, enabling her to work effectively across international markets and multicultural business environments. Fortino has also maintained past professional affiliations with YPO and places importance on mentoring women in business and supporting aspiring female leaders and entrepreneurs. Through Magnifika, Andromeda BV, and her broader advisory work, she continues to combine international fashion expertise, entrepreneurial leadership, strategic business development, and a forward-looking approach to help organizations navigate growth, transformation, and changing consumer markets.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Carissa
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a combination of perseverance, adaptability, continuous learning, and the willingness to embrace opportunities that challenged me to grow. Over more than 25 years in the fashion industry, I have had the opportunity to work across different markets and cultures, including leading Far East Asia operations and serving as Managing Director in Italy, where I transformed a struggling $20 million business into a $100 million enterprise in four years. My ability to communicate across cultures, speak multiple languages, build strong relationships, and approach challenges strategically has been instrumental throughout my career. I have also learned the importance of taking calculated risks, remaining open to new opportunities, and using my experiences to support and mentor other women. Today, through my consulting work and my company, Magnifica, I measure success not only by professional accomplishments, but by the impact I can make and the people I can help along the way.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the industry is to recognize that you cannot have everything all at the same moment, and that success often requires patience, flexibility, and sacrifice. Seize opportunities when they arise, establish yourself and build credibility within an organization, and learn to manage up just as effectively as you manage down. Be confident in expressing your ideas, but do so with professionalism and respect rather than aggression. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and can serve as advocates or “cheerleaders” within the company, while also focusing on working smarter, not simply harder. Most importantly, embrace challenges and adversity as opportunities to grow, because difficult moments often reveal our true character and strengthen us for the next stage of our careers.
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