Merrell has appointed Kathy Forstadt, former senior director of merchandising at Zappos, as director of Lifestyle and Pure Play for U.S. Wholesale, a newly created role. Forstadt will report to Jessica Adler, VP of sales.
Forstadt was at Zappos for 18 years, also holding the roles of director of merchandise initiatives and director of casual women’s footwear.
“Kathy will lead efforts to elevate and scale Merrell’s presence in lifestyle accounts, with a focus on attracting younger consumers and expanding the brand’s reach among women, said Merrell parent Wolverine Worldwide in a statement provided to SGB Media. “Her work will directly support Merrell’s broader strategic initiatives to evolve into a more style-forward, digitally fluent performance lifestyle brand.”
The company also noted that Forstadt brings a strong background in digital retail and consumer-focused merchandising.
Adler added, “This role represents a key step in strengthening our position within Lifestyle and Pure Play wholesale. Kathy’s experience and leadership will be critical in helping us build deeper connections with new audiences and accelerate growth in this important Lifestyle space.”
Images courtesy Wolverine Worldwide/LinkedIn
