Alexander Vreeland has joined the Paris-based D. Porthault as chief executive officer.
Vreeland, 51, was previously a partner, president and chief operating officer in G.A.V., which manufactures the licensed ck Calvin Klein and Emanuel lines. He has sold his share in the company to G.A.V. partners Andrew Grossman and Jay Schottenstein, and relocated to Paris with his family earlier this month.
At D. Porthault, Vreeland will also become a member of the shareholding group Société Nouvelle D. Porthault Inc., which owns the luxury linen house. Joan and Bernard Carl are primary investors in D. Porthault.
“I have known D. Porthault all my life,” Vreeland told WWD from Paris on Wednesday. “I was intrigued by the opportunity to run a company that had this kind of integrity but was an underdeveloped luxury brand. I feel it has a real potential in most luxury markets.”
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Vreeland, an apparel industry veteran, founded G.A.V. with Grossman and Schottenstein in 2003, and managed Calvin Klein’s better-priced white label sportswear collection in a partnership with Kellwood Co., as well as taking on the bridge ck Calvin Klein and Emanuel licenses. G.A.V. sold its interests in Calvin Klein’s white label to Kellwood last year. Grossman could not be reached for comment, but it is expected he and Schottenstein will continue to operate G.A.V. with few significant changes.
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Before co-founding G.A.V. in 2003, Vreeland worked as an industry consultant. He was also executive vice president of sales and marketing for Giorgio Armani Corp. from 1989 to 2001, and, prior to that, senior director of communications for Polo Ralph Lauren Corp.
D. Porthault was founded in 1920 by Daniel and Madeleine Porthault. The pair has created a house around fine linens and unique craftsmanship with a focus on custom-made pieces. The founders’ son, Marc, continues to be involved in the company as chairman. The company currently has freestanding stores in Paris, New York and Dallas, and is sold at upscale specialty stores nationwide. Much of the business is still in made-to-order linens.
On Oct. 5, D. Porthault will officially relocate its Paris boutique from 18 Avenue Montaigne to a 6,000-square-foot space at 50 Avenue Montaigne. This fall, the company will also add a new factory, with modernized facilities to position the brand for expansion. “We will be starting to look at additional sales points for the company,” said Bernard Carl.