Contemporary fashion firm Dutch LLC has tapped Jack Schwefel as chief executive officer.
The executive is not a newcomer to the Vernon, Calif.-based company, having served on its board of directors since last year. He will continue in that capacity. A 25-year industry veteran, Schwefel has held leadership posts at The Gap, Esprit and most recently Sur La Table, where he was ceo. He exited the kitchenware retailer earlier this fall after a seven-year run.
At Dutch, Schwefel takes over the ceo role from founder Serge Azria, who remains with the company as chief creative officer. In addition, Azria has taken on the chairman post on the company’s board of directors.
Schwefel’s appointment completes the brand’s senior executive expansion plan, which involved hiring Jennifer Adams as chief financial officer, a new post for the company. Dutch also tapped former Kellwood executive Michael Saunders as chief operating officer and hired a president of retail.
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Following the acquisition and relaunch of the Joie brand in 2007 and the addition of the Current/Elliott and Equipment brands in 2012, Azria partnered with TA Associates, a private equity firm with offices in Boston and Menlo Park, Calif., to further map out the company’s growth initiatives. At that time, Azria sold a 60 percent stake in Dutch LLC to TA Associates to actively develop Dutch’s three labels, moving them into new product categories and expanding their distribution.
Dutch’s various labels are sold in better department stores and specialty stores in 2,000 locations across 75 countries, as well as 11 company-owned boutiques and its own e-commerce.