The latest HR moves made by leading textile and apparel companies.
Brands
PVH Corp.
PVH Corp. has elevated Elisheva Hirshman to chief legal officer and corporate secretary, effective Sept. 4, completing a succession plan announced earlier this summer as longtime legal chief Mark Fischer prepares to retire after more than 27 years with the Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger parent.
Hirshman, previously deputy general counsel, will lead PVH’s global legal function and report to CEO Stefan Larsson. She joined the company’s executive leadership team earlier this year as part of the planned transition.
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Hirshman has been with PVH since 2016, when she joined to build its global employment law team and oversee commercial litigation. She subsequently assumed responsibility for strategic corporate transactions and commercial initiatives as well as legal operations across the EMEA and Asia-Pacific regions.
“Elisheva has long been a highly respected and trusted partner to me and to our teams across our company,” Larsson said. “Her broad legal expertise, collaborative leadership style, deep understanding of our strategic priorities and passion for our brands and our people position her well to further drive PVH’s long-term growth.”
Before joining PVH, Hirshman worked as an employment litigator and counselor at DLA Piper and began her legal career at Weil, Gotshal & Manges.
Fischer, meanwhile, will remain with PVH in an advisory capacity ahead of his retirement next year. He established the company’s in-house legal department in 1999 and built the function globally as PVH expanded, including through the acquisitions that brought Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger into its portfolio.
Kering
Kering has named longtime Pomellato executive Sabina Belli president of Kering Italia, effective Sept. 15, giving her responsibility for strengthening the luxury group’s relationships with public institutions, industry organizations and other stakeholders across one of its most important manufacturing markets.
Belli will report to Kering CEO Luca de Meo and be based in Milan. She will represent the group in Italy while working across Kering’s houses and corporate functions on initiatives spanning industrial development, innovation, sustainability and the preservation of Italian craftsmanship.
Italy accounts for more than a quarter of Kering’s global workforce and supports thousands of additional jobs across the group’s manufacturing and logistics network. The country is home to Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Brioni, Pomellato, DoDo, Ginori 1735 and Kering Eyewear operations, as well as product development centers, manufacturing facilities and logistics hubs.
“Italy occupies a unique place in Kering’s history, identity and future,” de Meo said. “Its creativity, craftsmanship and industrial excellence are at the heart of our Houses and the long-term vitality of the luxury industry.”
Belli joined Kering in 2015 as CEO of Pomellato Group after holding senior roles at WPP, L’Oréal Luxe and LVMH businesses, including Christian Dior Parfums, Moët Hennessy, Veuve Clicquot and Bulgari.
She will also continue overseeing Kering Accademia per le Eccellenze, which she has led since April. The program focuses on preserving Italian craftsmanship and developing manufacturing talent.
“Sabina brings a deep understanding of the Italian luxury ecosystem and a strong ability to build partnerships across business, education and public institutions,” de Meo said.
Retail
Kohl’s
Kohl’s has named Ryan M. Waymire chief merchandising officer, effective Sept. 28, bringing in a Walmart fashion executive to oversee the department store retailer’s merchandise strategy as it works to reshape its product offering.
Waymire will report to CEO Michael J. Bender and oversee buying, omnichannel merchandising, product design and development, allocation and planning, sourcing and product portfolio strategy.
He joins Kohl’s from Walmart U.S., where he most recently served as senior vice president of fashion. Waymire brings 25 years of retail experience spanning Walmart, Wayfair, FabFitFun, Amazon and Target. Before Walmart, he served as general manager and brand president of Wayfair’s Birch Lane, senior vice president of merchandising and brand partnerships at FabFitFun and held responsibility for apparel and brand partnerships at Amazon. Earlier in his career, he spent nearly a decade in buying, sourcing and merchandising roles at Target.
“Ryan has deep experience in understanding how to refresh and drive a merchandise strategy for a broad U.S. customer base, and he has an innovative way of integrating meaningful collaborations and social media influencers into product stories,” Bender said.
Waymire succeeds Nick Jones, who has served as Kohl’s chief merchandising officer since 2023.
“I’m excited to join Kohl’s at a transformational moment for the company and for retail,” Waymire said. “I look forward to helping shape Kohl’s merchandising strategy and delivering differentiated products and experiences that surprise and delight customers across the country.”
Academy Sports + Outdoors
Academy Sports + Outdoors has named Matthew “Matt” Pasch executive vice president and chief people officer, succeeding William “Bill” Ennis following his retirement.
Pasch will oversee the sporting goods retailer’s talent strategy, human resources and communications functions across its corporate operations, distribution centers and more than 300 stores. He will report directly to CEO Steve Lawrence.
Pasch joins Academy from Burlington Stores, where he most recently served as executive vice president and chief human resources officer. During his tenure there, he also served as senior vice president of human resources for merchandising, marketing and strategy and senior vice president of human resources supporting corporate operations, distribution and supply chain.
His appointment comes as Academy continues to expand its store footprint, which currently spans more than 300 locations across 21 states.
Exemplar Luxury Group
Exemplar Luxury Group, the luxury retail collective formerly known as Saks Global, has named Gretchen Koback Pursel chief people officer, effective Sept. 28, as the company continues to integrate its Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman businesses.
Koback Pursel will develop and oversee ELG’s people strategy, focusing on talent, organizational performance and company culture. She will join the management team under CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck.
She brings experience across luxury retail, beauty and wellness, most recently serving as chief people officer at Equinox. Koback Pursel previously held the same title at Tiffany & Co. and The Wella Company.
“I am pleased to welcome Gretchen to the Exemplar Luxury Group Management Team at a pivotal time for our organization,” van Raemdonck said. “With Gretchen’s proven track record in luxury and transformation, she is the ideal leader to guide our journey and cultivate an employer-of-choice culture where we drive sustainable growth by unleashing the power of our people.”
Koback Pursel succeeds Sarah Garber, who is leaving the company after 15 years. ELG credited Garber with helping lead the organization through its transformation, merger integration and financial restructuring while developing its people strategy.
“I look forward to partnering closely with the leadership team to build a people strategy rooted in belonging, that empowers our teams, defines what culture means to ELG and enables the organization to thrive as we define the future of luxury retail,” Koback Pursel said.
Buckle
Buckle director Angie J. Klein has stepped down from the specialty retailer’s board after nearly seven years, citing obligations associated with a new professional role.
Klein’s resignation took effect Aug. 30. She had served on the Kearney, Neb.-based retailer’s board since December 2019, with work spanning corporate social responsibility as well as nominating and governance matters.
“We thank Angie for her contributions and insights during her dedicated service as a valued member of our Board,” chairman Daniel J. Hirschfeld said.
“I am proud of the work we have accomplished together and wish the entire Buckle team the best in the years ahead,” Klein said.
Buckle operates 447 stores across 42 states.
Technology
CreateMe Technologies
Apparel manufacturing technology company CreateMe Technologies has expanded its leadership team with two new executives and an internal promotion as it moves from technology development and early brand partnerships toward broader commercialization of its automated manufacturing platform.
John W. Jacobson has joined in the newly created role of vice president of commercialization, while Leslie Lambert has been named vice president of people and business operations. Ashley Nicole Stickler has been promoted to vice president of marketing and partnerships.
Jacobson will lead CreateMe’s commercialization strategy and work with brands and retailers to move programs from development into scaled production. He previously co-founded Luminara Worldwide, which CreateMe said grew to more than $100 million in retail revenue and distribution across 30,000 retail locations within six years.
Lambert, meanwhile, will oversee people and business operations and develop the workforce and organizational infrastructure supporting CreateMe’s manufacturing platform. She brings more than 20 years of experience across companies including Ampersand Brands, Circa of America, Sephora and Williams-Sonoma.
Stickler’s expanded role includes global brand strategy, communications and strategic partnerships. She previously worked with Adidas and Calvin Klein and has helped develop CreateMe’s positioning and industry partnerships since joining the company.
“John, Leslie and Ashley bring the commercial, operational and brand leadership we need to put that model to work at scale,” founder and CEO Cam Myers said.
The appointments follow CreateMe’s first commercial moves for its digitally bonded apparel technology. This year, the company partnered with Untuckit and Supima on commercially available bonded garments, with plans to scale production to as many as 50,000 T-shirts annually. It also launched its Seed to System initiative with Avalo and Laguna Fabrics, linking U.S.-grown cotton and domestic textile production with CreateMe’s robotic garment assembly technology.
Simbe
Retail technology company Simbe has named Claudia Molina vice president of client success as it expands deployments of its AI-powered store intelligence technology.
Molina will oversee executive customer relationships, long-term client strategies and transformation programs as retailers expand Simbe’s technology across their store networks. She joins the company following leadership roles at Meta, JPMorgan and American Express spanning customer strategy, operational transformation and enterprise growth.
“Physical AI offers an entirely new operating layer for retail,” said Simbe CEO and co-founder Brad Bogolea. “The opportunity extends beyond identifying what’s happening on a shelf. Trusted, real-time ground truth of the store enables retailers to orchestrate actions across channels.”
Simbe’s platform combines its Tally autonomous robots with computer vision, RFID, fixed sensors, edge AI and enterprise software to continuously collect information about store conditions. The company said it deploys its technology across thousands of locations in 10 countries.
Simbe also announced new industry roles for two existing FMI executives. Senior vice president of marketing Caitlin Allen has joined the trade association’s Daunting Data Dilemma Industry Task Force, which focuses on issues including retail data quality and interoperability. Senior vice president of strategy and client success Benjamin Bond has joined its Fresh Food Leadership Council, where his work will include forecasting, food waste and visibility across fresh-food operations.
Logistics
GPA Global
Packaging and supply chain company GPA Global has named Anne Marie Shulman vice president of luxury packaging for North America, a newly created role intended to expand its luxury packaging and gifting business across the U.S. and Canada.
Shulman will initially focus on the jewelry and watch sectors, connecting brands with GPA’s design, manufacturing, sourcing and logistics operations. The company said it plans to use that foothold to build a broader North American luxury business over time.
She brings more than 20 years of experience spanning packaging development, custom materials, prototyping, factory sourcing, quality control, manufacturing and logistics. Earlier in her career, Shulman served as vice president of sales for the packaging division at Kalencom Corporation.
Her client experience includes luxury brands and retailers such as Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Chopard, Gucci, Mikimoto, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman, as well as companies across apparel, handbags and accessories.
“Anne Marie brings something that is difficult to replicate: deep knowledge of the luxury market, long-standing customer relationships and a very practical understanding of how packaging actually gets made,” said Robert Lingham, GPA Global’s global commercial director. “She understands the creative side, but she also understands factories, materials, quality, cost and logistics.”
Shulman said luxury companies continue to invest in premium presentation while paying closer attention to sustainable packaging options.
“Luxury packaging is part of the product experience,” she said. “It protects what’s inside, but it also tells the customer something about the brand from the moment they see it.”
Textiles
Schotex Global
Textile developer Schotex Global has named outdoor industry veteran Mats Jengard head of sales for the Nordic region as the company looks to expand its presence among Northern European performance brands.
Based in Sweden, Jengard brings more than 25 years of sales and project management experience, including roles with outdoor and performance companies Norrøna, PrimaLoft and W.L. Gore & Associates.
At Schotex, he will introduce the company’s textile portfolio to outdoor performance brands across the Nordic market.
“We see great potential for Schotex in Northern Europe with the addition of Mats to our team,” co-founder and CEO Gwen Hsu said. “His deep experience with global brands, collaborative work style and focus on guiding long-term partnership programs with exceptional customer service align perfectly with our company goals and working principles.”
Schotex develops performance textiles for outdoor, fashion, sportswear and industrial applications. Its portfolio spans stretch woven fabrics, natural and synthetic fiber blends and two- and three-layer weather-protection laminates. The company designs its textiles in Switzerland using European raw materials and manufactures them in Asia.
