Differential Brands Group Inc. appointed Jake Brandman as president of the company’s Swims brand operated through its wholly owned subsidiary, DFBG Swims LLC.
Brandman will assume the position on August 29, 2016. In this role, he will report to Michael Buckley, chief executive officer, and will be responsible for developing and implementing a long-term strategy to expand the newly acquired Swims brand both domestically and internationally.
Brandman is a seasoned lifestyle brand executive with more than 20 years of experience building global brands. He has spent the last eight years with Deckers Brands, most recently as brand president for Sanuk, and prior to that as vice president of North American Sales for Teva and Simple. Previously, Brandman held senior sales executive roles at Vans, Keen Footwear, and Ahnu Footwear. He holds an MBA from the University of Southern California.
Buckley commented, “We are pleased to welcome Jake to the Differential team. He is a strong merchant and sales professional with a long track record of successfully building great brands and cultures, and we believe he will be instrumental as we integrate and grow the Swims business. I look forward to partnering with Jake and leveraging his vast knowledge and experience to expand the Swims brand both in the U.S. and around the world.”
Brandman stated, “I am very excited to be joining Differential Brands to lead the Swims brand and its global expansion. Swims is already a sought-after lifestyle brand that consumers are passionate about and that some of the best retailers recognize for its unique positioning and disruptive product offering. I am honored to begin working with the Swims team to further unleash their creativity and leverage their experiences while tapping into the Differential Brands infrastructure to further build and expand the business here in the U.S. and other key global markets.”
Differential Brands Group’s brands include Hudson, a designer and marketer of women’s and men’s premium, branded denim and apparel; Robert Graham, an apparel and accessories brand seeking to inspire a global movement and Swims, a Scandinavian lifestyle brand best known for its range of fashion-forward, water-resistant footwear, apparel and accessories.
