JAKE BRANDMAN NAMED PRESIDENT OF SWIMS AT DIFFERENTIAL BRANDS

Los Angeles-based Differential Brands Group Inc. has 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, and will report to Michael Buckley, the company’s Chief Executive Officer. He will be responsible for developing and implementing a long-term strategy to expand the newly acquired SWIMS brand both domestically and internationally.

Differential, which also owns such companies as Hudson Jeans and Robert Graham, completed their acquisition of SWIMS last month. The Scandinavian lifestyle brand sells everything from footwear to outerwear to apparel.

Brandman 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, he held senior sales executive roles at Vans, Keen Footwear, and Ahnu Footwear.

“I am very excited to be joining Differential Brands to lead the SWIMS brand and its global expansion,” said Brandman. “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.”

Added Buckley: “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.”