Burch Creative Capital Takes Majority Stake in Rowing Blazers
Founder Jack Carlson to Remain as Creative Director; Aimé Leon Dore's Grant Simm Joins as CFO
NEW YORK, Feb. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rowing Blazers, the cult menswear brand founded in 2017 by Jack Carlson, has sold a majority stake in the business to Burch Creative Capital ("BCC"), the investment firm founded by Chris Burch; and to Tom Vellios, co-founder of Five Below, and Jason Epstein, partner at Stonecourt Capital, who are co-investing with BCC. Rowing Blazers joins an esteemed group of brands held by BCC including Staud, Solid & Striped, Danielle Guizio, BaubleBar, and Tory Burch. The move will allow Rowing Blazers to hire in key positions, develop its women's line, expand distribution, and grow its retail footprint, starting with a new flagship Manhattan store as early as Fall 2024. The announcement comes after a milestone year for Rowing Blazers during which the brand launched major collaborations with Gucci and Target.
"Jack [Carlson] has created an extraordinary brand that is reminiscent of my first apparel business, Eagle's Eye," said Burch. "With our expertise and a team of amazing humans, I am certain we can turn this into a global brand. It gives me great joy to partner with Jason Epstein and Tom Vellios on this acquisition. They are two extraordinary entrepreneurs, deal makers and brand creators."
Many know Burch as the co-founder of Tory Burch, but his entry into the fashion space began with Eagle's Eye, a novelty sweater business which won customers' hearts with its unique and quirky sensibility. All of Burch's businesses are run with a customer-first mindset. "My customer comes first, and I come dead last," Burch says. His approach with Rowing Blazers will be no different, with plans to bring the customer more of the beloved brand across new markets and categories.
Carlson, a designer, archaeologist, former member of the U.S. rowing team, and long-time friend of Burch, launched Rowing Blazers in 2017 with co-founder David Rosenzweig. Since then, the brand has developed a reputation for its colorful, irreverent take on the preppy look, along with its long list of celebrity fans and limited-edition collaborations with the likes of Seiko, Barbour, Tudor, Umbro, FILA, Noah, Tag Heuer, Gucci, and Target. Carlson also revived the original "Princess Diana" sheep sweater, in partnership with its original creators Joanna Osborne and Sally Muir.
"I am very excited to be partnering with Burch Creative Capital, and excited for a new chapter in the Rowing Blazers story," Carlson said. "This partnership will allow us to do things we couldn't do previously; it will also allow us to reach new people, and to provide better service and even better products to our existing community. I'm especially excited about developing women's. The demand is there, and I've seen how successful we've been with our women's sheep sweater and our women's collection for Target. There is no better partner for this next step than Burch Creative Capital and their partners, especially when it comes to excellence in production, operations, and quality — and when it comes to women's, Chris' record, from Tory Burch to Staud, speaks for itself."
Carlson will remain as Creative Director, and co-founder David Rosenzweig will remain as Director of Strategy, with a focus on the brand's collaborations and partnerships. To aid in the expansion, they will also be joined by the brand's first CFO. Grant Simm has joined Rowing Blazers as CFO from Aimé Leon Dore where he served as CFO for three years and oversaw the brand's explosive growth and investment from LVMH Luxury Ventures.
"I am thrilled to be joining Jack, Burch Creative Capital, and the dynamic team at Rowing Blazers," said Simm. "I'm looking forward to helping drive the strategic and financial development of this multi-channel brand that already resonates with so many people around the world."
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SOURCE Rowing Blazers
