Volcom is taking advantage of it’s PPR family by moving into creating a footwear line, including boots, with the assistance of fellow brand Puma. After 22 years of offering sandals only when it came to footwear, the skate, surf, brand is moving into Vans-like territory featuring a range of styles lowtops, hightops, boots, and an entire women’s collection.
In typical Volcom punk style, some feature bright colors in reds and blues, and all feature the iconic diamond Volcom logo in discreet side locations. Fabrics include suedes, waterproof leather, and canvas.
According to Jason Graham, Senior Director of Accessories/Footwear at Volcom, “Looking to the collection, we’ve built upon the success of our open-toe products by offering on-trend styling at key price points. Subtle queues to angle and asymmetry have kept the styles fun, yet unmistakably Volcom.”
The Volcom Fall footwear collection will be available online and select retailers starting in July, 2013.
Quiksilver Changes Management
In a follow-up to last week’s story about the various slashes and changes at Quiksilver, the latest announcement yesterday, March 4, 2013 further clarify Quiksilver’s intentions with changes in it’s management team and centralizing key functions:
Tom Hartge has been appointed as Global Head of Footwear and Kasey Mazzone as Global Head of Supply Chain at Quiksilver. The additions to the team are part of a larger senior management reorganization, which includes Pierre Agnes, President of Quiksilver Europe, assuming the additional role as Global Head of Apparel, and the Company recruiting for a Chief Marketing Officer position.
“We are centralizing key functions and responsibilities across Quiksilver, Roxy and DC in order to strengthen our brands, grow sales and drive operational efficiencies,” said Andy Mooney, President and Chief Executive Officer of Quiksilver, Inc. “Both Tom and Kasey bring world class expertise to their respective roles, as well as extensive experience with global brands. These appointments, along with Pierre’s new role and the addition of a Chief Marketing Officer, will make our company more competitive and are key elements in our evolution from a regional management structure to a global structure with experienced leaders guiding each key functional area of the company.”
Hartge, 56, is a veteran of the footwear industry. During a 28-year career at Nike, Inc., which spanned 1981 to 2009, Hartge helped lead the company’s highly successful running shoe business. He held a number of senior level positions in product marketing, merchandising, general management, advanced research and design, and corporate and business philanthropy. As Nike’s Global Brand Director, Hartge collaborated with Nike’s Beijing Olympics group and Nike Plus team to synergize the company’s Running business. Earlier, he was Creative Director, Advanced Initiatives. Before that, he was Director, Emerging Markets; Footwear General Manager, Americas Region; and Director Footwear Merchandising, Europe. More recently, he served as an advisor to Patagonia, Inc.’s footwear division. In this role, Hartge acted as liaison between Patagonia Footwear and Wolverine World Wide, the global licensor of Patagonia footwear, to collaborate and align product initiatives, brand stories and business goals.
Mazzone, 52, has more than 20 years of global supply chain experience across multiple product categories and distribution channels. Prior to joining Quiksilver, she was Senior Vice President, Global Sourcing for Lands’ End, where she was responsible for product development, sourcing, technical design, quality and logistics. Earlier, Mazzone was Senior Vice President, Production & Sourcing for American Eagle Outfitters, where she developed an international vendor base and managed internal product development, and before that held senior management positions in sourcing for Gap, Inc. Between 1991 and 2004, Mazzone held various positions with increasing responsibility at Levi Strauss & Co., ultimately serving as Vice President, Asia and Africa Sourcing Region. In these roles, she managed all sourcing, product development, inventory and supply planning, supplier development, quality assurance and social compliance, and achieved meaningful cost reductions and improved inventory turns while maintaining customer fill expectations.
