RYU Apparel Inc. hired Rob Blair as its new chief operating officer. Blair has worked with Red Bull, Duer, Lululemon, Gap Body, and Nike.
Blair was most recently vice president of product, Consumer Products North America at Red Bull. His past roles include creative director at Future Classic Group, the parent of the Duer denim brand; GCAL (global category apparel leader), division merchandise manager, NikeLab; global merchandising, Gap; and director, design and head of vision at Lululemon.
Blair commented, “I’m excited to join the talented and hardworking RYU team. The company has an incredible heritage of high-end performance products, sport-style innovation and a clear message of respect. 2020 was a difficult year for many businesses due to the pandemic. However, there are very positive tailwinds and market momentum in e-commerce, athletic and athleisure apparel, and RYU is an award-winning brand with great potential. Together, I am confident, we can grow the business into a significant player in the athletic apparel segment.”
RYU CEO Cesare Fazari stated: “Mr. Blair is a transformative thinker with a sharp eye for trend and a long history of executing high-growth strategies. It is an incredibly exciting announcement for RYU to welcome him to the team. Heading into 2021, his experience will complement and empower the RYU team as we move to deliver on our strategic plans, which include Canada Skateboard, Zoom Media, European distribution, product placement in BEI’s new series, “The Count” and RYU.com’s new e-commerce store.”
Photo courtesy RYU
