VF Corporation has appointed Michelle (Sun) Choe as global brand president for Vans, beginning in late July.
Choe has nearly three decades of experience leading design and merchandising for global brands, including Lululemon, Marc Jacobs, West Elm, Madewell, Urban Outfitters, Levi’s, and the Gap. She joins VF from Lululemon, where she has worked as the chief product officer for the past seven years, overseeing women’s, men’s, and accessories design, merchandising, innovation, product development, planning and allocation.
Choe is reported to have helped to “transform Lululemon into a product-led organization, and, during her tenure, has quadrupled revenues and strengthened profitability while expanding into new product lines and geographies.
“Sun is a strong leader who is focused on consumer insight and has a proven track record of driving brand heat and translating it into financial results. I am confident that Sun is the right leader to take Vans to new heights,“ said Bracken Darrell, president and CEO of VF Corp. “With Sun’s appointment, we are further transforming the VF leadership team to ignite growth across our brands and enhance value for our shareholders and other stakeholders.”
“Vans is an incredible brand with a storied history and devoted customer base,“ said Choe. “I am passionate about building high-performance cultures and teams and creating great designs and guest experiences that build long-lasting, meaningful connections with consumers around the world. At Vans, we will do just that—capitalizing on the brand’s identity as a lifestyle defined by creativity and authenticity. I can’t wait to get to work.”
Choe served as chief product officer and on the leadership team of Lululemon from 2018 to 2024. She joined Lululemon in 2016 as senior vice president of global merchandising. Before Lululemon, she was the chief global product merchant at Marc Jacobs from 2015 to 2016. From 2013 to 2015, she was the senior vice president of merchandising at West Elm. From 2011 to 2013, Choe was the senior vice president at Madewell. Before Madewell, she held leadership roles of increasing responsibility at Urban Outfitters, including executive director of women’s apparel and accessories. Earlier in her career, Choe worked in merchandising leadership roles at Guess?, Levi Strauss and Gap, Inc. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland.
Image courtesy Michelle (Sun) Choe/Joe’s Blackbook
