Kellwood Company

Last updated
Kellwood Apparel, LLC
Company typePrivate
IndustryApparel
Founded1961
HeadquartersCity of Industry, CA
Key people
David Falwell, CEO; Caren Belair Group President, Lifestyle & Juniors; Adrian Kowalewski, CFO; Henry Paradela , CIO; XiaoPei Chin , President of Production and Sourcing; Mary Yap , Director Human Resources.
Products Apparel
Website Kellwood.com

Kellwood Apparel is an American apparel manufacturer. Founded in 1961, Kellwood's portfolio of Women's, Juniors, and Girls' apparel includes Parker, Devlin, Briggs NY, Democracy, Jax, Rewind, My Michelle, and licensed brands. Kellwood became an affiliated company of Sun Capital Partners, Inc. in February 2008. In December 2016, Kellwood Company was acquired by an unnamed Hong Kong investor group for an undisclosed amount. [1] [2]

Contents

History

Formation in 1961

In 1961, fifteen independent suppliers of soft goods to Sears, Roebuck and Co were merged to form Kellwood Company. Taking its name from two former Sears' executives, Charles H. Kellstadt and Robert E. Wood, The first officers included Maurice Perlstein, president and treasurer; Fred W. Wenzel, vice president; Stanley M. Guthunz, vice president; Ovide de St. Aubin, Jr., vice president; and Howard Michaelson, Jr., secretary. [3] The 15 original companies were Ahoskie Manufacturing Co., Albert of Arizona, Biltmore Manufacturing Co., Calhoun Garment Co., Garver Manufacturing Co., Greenfield Manufacturing Co., Hawthorn Company, McComb Manufacturing Co., Monticello Manufacturing Co., Ottenheimer Bros. Manufacturing Co., Oxford Manufacturing Co., Rutherford Garment Co., Siler City Manufacturing Co., Southern Foundations, and Spencer Manufacturing Co. [4]

Growth

The company experienced its greatest success under the leadership of William John McKenna, who served as COO and later CEO from 1982 to 1996. For Kellwood Company, McKenna acquired Smart Shirts, Cape Cod-Cricket Lane, American Recreation Products Ltd., Crowntuft Manufacturing Corporation, Slumberjack Inc., D Corporation Inc., California Ivy, Inc., A.J. Brandon, Inc., Parsons Place Apparel (now Sag Harbor), E Z Sportswear (now Melrose), En Chant'e Inc. (now ENC), Goodman Knitting Company, Inc., Dotti and Sierra Designs, and launched a Kathie Lee Gifford clothing label. Also under McKenna's term, Kellwood's sales surpassed $1 billion. [5]

In 1965, Bob Swanson and George Rudolph left Trailwise/Ski Hut [6] [7] in Berkeley, California and founded Sierra Designs at 137 Tewksbury in Point Richmond. [8] In 1968, Sierra Designs introduced the 60/40 Parka from a fabric with a blend of cotton (58%, warp) and nylon (42%, weft). [9]

In 2005, chairman Hal Upbin stepped down as the company's CEO, passing the title on to Kellwood's president, Robert Skinner. After he retired as a CEO, Upbin became Kellwood's adviser in specific areas such as mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning, and operational projects. [10]

In 2008, Gerber Childrenswear, a division of Kellwood Company, entered into a licensing agreement with Jockey International. [11]

In 2012, Jill Granoff was appointed as Kellwood Company's CEO. [12]

Acquisitions

In February 2008, Kellwood Company became an affiliated company of Sun Capital Partners, Inc. [13] [14] In January 2010, Kellwood Company acquired ISIS, [15] an award-winning outdoor company focused on women's performance and casual apparel. [16] In January 2011, Kellwood Company acquired Rebecca Taylor, a contemporary sportswear brand created by New Zealand-born fashion designer Rebecca Taylor and her business partner Elizabeth Bugdaycay. [17] In July 2011, Kellwood announced its acquisition of Zobha, [18] a high-performance yoga and fitness apparel and accessories company. [19]

On November 22, 2013, Kellwood and Sun Capital Partners completed the initial public offering of Vince under the ticker VNCE on the NYSE. [20] In July 2014, Kellwood Holding, LLC announced its acquisition of Parker. Clothier Vince announced in late April 2017 that it might not remain in business over the next year after a severe decline in revenues and stock value. [21] In October 2023, CreditRiskMonitor reported that Vince Holding was nearing a potential Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. [22]

In 2016, Kellwood was acquired by a Hong Kong–based investor group previously operated by Sun Capital Partners. Following the acquisition, David Falwell was promoted from Executive Vice President to the company's CEO. [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. is an American clothing and accessories retailer headquartered at SouthSide Works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1977 by brothers Jerry and Mark Silverman as a subsidiary of Retail Ventures, Inc., a company that also owned and operated Silverman's Menswear. The Silvermans sold their ownership interests in 1991 to Jacob Price of Knoxville, Tennessee. American Eagle Outfitters is the parent company of Aerie, Unsubscribed and Todd Snyder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samsonite</span> American luggage manufacturer

Samsonite International S.A. is an American premium luggage manufacturer and retailer, with products ranging from large suitcases to small toiletries bags and briefcases. The company was founded in 1910 in Denver, Colorado, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stanley Black & Decker</span> American manufacturer of industrial tools and household hardware

Stanley Black & Decker, Inc., formerly known as The Stanley Works, is a Fortune 500 American manufacturer of industrial tools and household hardware, and a provider of security products. Headquartered in the Greater Hartford city of New Britain, Connecticut, Stanley Black & Decker is the result of the merger of The Stanley Works and Black & Decker on March 12, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avery Dennison</span> American corporation

Avery Dennison Corporation is a multinational manufacturer and distributor of pressure-sensitive adhesive materials, apparel branding labels and tags, RFID inlays, and specialty medical products. The company is a member of the Fortune 500 and is headquartered in Mentor, Ohio.

Gildan Activewear Inc. (/ˈɡɪldən/) is a Canadian manufacturer of branded clothing, including undecorated blank activewear such as t-shirts, sport shirts and fleeces, which are subsequently decorated by screen printing companies with designs and logos. The company also supplies branded and private label athletic, casual, and dress socks to retail companies in the United States including Gold Toe Brands, PowerSox, SilverToe, Auro, All Pro, and the Gildan brand. The company also manufactures and distributes Under Armour and New Balance brand socks. The company has approximately 44,000 employees worldwide, and owns and operates manufacturing facilities in Rio Nance, Honduras and the Caribbean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Callaway Golf Company</span> American consumer products company

Callaway, legally Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp., is an American global sports equipment manufacturing company that designs, manufactures, markets and sells golf equipment, more specifically clubs and balls, also including accessories such as bags, gloves, and caps. In 2021, the company purchased Topgolf, and thus also operates a chain of golf-related amusement and events centers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VF Corporation</span> American apparel company

VF Corporation is an American global apparel and footwear company founded in 1899 by John Barbey and headquartered in Denver, Colorado. The company's 11 brands are organized into three categories: Outdoor, Active and Work. In 2015, the company controlled 55% of the U.S. backpack market with the JanSport, Eastpak, Timberland, and The North Face brands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helen of Troy Limited</span> American developer and marketer of consumer housewares, health, home, and beauty products

Helen of Troy Limited is an American publicly traded designer, developer and worldwide marketer of consumer brand-name housewares, health and home, and beauty products under owned and licensed brands. It is the parent corporation of OXO International Ltd., Kaz, Inc., Steel Technology, LLC, and Idelle Labs, Ltd, among others. The company is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, with U.S. operations headquartered in El Paso, Texas. The company is named after the mythic figure Helen of Troy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roper Technologies</span> American diversified industrial company

Roper Technologies, Inc. is an American diversified industrial company based in Sarasota, Florida.

Blue Nile Inc. is an online jewelry retailer founded in 1999. It is based in New York City. In February 2017, it became a subsidiary of Bain Capital. In 2022, Blue Nile was acquired by Signet Jewelers.

MDC Partners Inc. is an advertising and marketing holding company based in New York City. MDC is structured as a partnership model, in which it initially acquires a majority stake in its partner agency, leaving a percentage of ownership with the founder. It has more than 50 partner firms worldwide. In August 2021, following the merger of The Stagwell Group with MDC Partners, Stagwell formed Stagwell Media Network, a group of multichannel agencies.

Cision Ltd. is a public relations and earned media software company and services provider. The company is incorporated in the Cayman Islands and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Cision offers a portfolio of services including PRNewswire, PRWeb, Brandwatch, Connectively and Canada Newswire.

Highland Capital Partners is a global venture capital firm with offices in Boston, Silicon Valley, and San Francisco. Highland has raised over $4 billion in committed capital and invested in more than 280 companies, with 47 IPOs and 134 acquisitions.

Microsemi Corporation was an Aliso Viejo, California-based provider of semiconductor and system solutions for aerospace & defense, communications, data center and industrial markets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dematic</span> American supplier

Dematic is an American supplier of materials handling systems, software and services. With a growth rate of 21.2% in 2021 Dematic was listed as the world's second-largest materials handling systems supplier with a revenue of 3.2 billion USD. The company employs over 10,000 people and has engineering centres and manufacturing facilities in the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Mexico, Australia, Belgium, China, Italy, Spain, France, Lithuania and Czech Republic. Its customer base includes small, medium and large companies in several other countries across six continents.

Vince is a contemporary clothing line founded in 2002. In 2023 Authentic Brands Group purchased the intellectual property of the brand Vince in a deal $76.5 million deal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">XOXO (brand)</span> Clothing brand

XOXO is an American clothing brand of apparel and accessories owned by Kellwood Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Link Motion Inc</span> Multinational technology company

Link Motion Inc, formerly NetQin and NQ Mobile, is a multinational technology company that develops, licenses, supports and sells software and services that focus on the smart ride business. Link Motion sells carputers for car businesses, consumer ride sharing services, as well as legacy mobile security, productivity and other related applications. Link Motion maintains dual headquarters in Dallas, Texas, United States and Beijing, China. A Court Receiver, lawyer Robert Seiden, was appointed over Link Motion in February 2019 in the United States in the federal district court in the Southern District of New York by Judge Victor Marrero. The Receiver removed Wenyong “Vincent” Shi as chairman and chief executive officer, and replaced him by appointing Mr. Lilin “Francis” Guo.

Vista Outdoor Inc. is an American designer, manufacturer, and marketer of outdoor sports and recreation products. It operates in two markets: shooting sports and outdoor products. It is a "house of brands" with more than 40 labels and subsidiaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CEB Inc.</span> Former business consulting company

CEB, formerly Corporate Executive Board, now a part of Gartner, was a company providing best practice research, benchmarks, and decision support tools to business leaders in HR, Finance, IT, Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, Strategy, R&D, Procurement, Legal, and Compliance functions globally. It was one of the first firms to offer a subscription pricing model for insights and advice, challenging the prevailing consulting delivery model and paving the way for subscription-as-a-service ("SaaS") pricing models now favored by software companies. Gartner announced its acquisition of CEB in January 2017, completed the acquisition in April 2017, and integrated the company in July 2018.

References

  1. ↑ "Kellwood Co. Sold to Hong Kong Investor Group" . Retrieved 2017-09-01.
  2. ↑ Kellwood Sold to Hong Kong-Based Investor Group Women’s Wear Daily, LISA LOCKWOOD, DECEMBER 21, 2016
  3. ↑ "Kellwood Company - Company History". Fundinguniverse.com. Retrieved 2012-02-20.
  4. ↑ International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 8. St. James Press, 1994
  5. ↑ "Profile Kellwood". Apparelsearch.com. Retrieved 2012-02-20.
  6. ↑ https://www.patagonia.com/stories/remembering-peter-noone/story-71523.html o
  7. ↑ "Trailwise Ski Hut Berkeley products". Archived from the original on 2018-10-20.
  8. ↑ "About Sierra Designs". typeF.com. Archived from the original on 14 October 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  9. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20181020113953/http://www.oregonphotos.com/SierraDesigns1.html
  10. ↑ "Outdoor financials: Kellwood net earnings drop 50 percent, plus Deckers, Saucony, Quiksilver, Eddie Bauer". SNEWS. 2017-05-12. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  11. ↑ "Jockey and Kellwood Company Announce Licensing Agreement". RIS News. 2008-01-01. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  12. ↑ "Seasoned apparel exec named CEO of Kellwood Company". Chain Store Age. 2012-07-05. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  13. ↑ "McDermott - Press Releases - Kellwood Company Acquired by Sun Capital Securities Group". Mwe.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2012-02-20.
  14. ↑ "Kellwood Company: Private Company Information - BusinessWeek". Investing.businessweek.com. Archived from the original on August 15, 2009. Retrieved 2012-02-20.
  15. ↑ "ISIS for Women | Women's Performance Outdoor Jackets & Clothing". Archived from the original on 2013-01-26. Retrieved 2020-02-15.
  16. ↑ Business Wire (2010-01-11). "Kellwood Acquires ISIS". Business Wire. Retrieved 2012-02-20.{{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  17. ↑ "Kellwood Acquires Rebecca Taylor - ST. LOUIS, Jan. 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/" (Press release). Missouri: Prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2012-02-20.
  18. ↑ "Women's Fitness Clothing - Yoga and Exercise Clothes Online - Zobha".
  19. ↑ "Kellwood Acquires Zobha - ST. LOUIS, July 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/" (Press release). Missouri, California: Prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2012-02-20.
  20. ↑ https://www.nyse.com/about/listed/lcddata.html?ticker=VNCE [ dead link ]
  21. ↑ Platt, Eric (April 28, 2017). "Clothier Vince warns of 'substantial doubt' that it will stay in business". Financial Times . Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  22. ↑ "11 retailers at risk of bankruptcy in 2023". Retail Dive. October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  23. ↑ Donaldson, Tara (2016-12-26). "Kellwood Company Sold to Hong Kong Investor as Part of Growth Plan". Sourcing Journal. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.