Designer Brands Inc., has announced the appointment of Andrea O’Donnell to the role of brands president and executive vice president of Designer Brands, effective 29th January.
In her role as president of brands, O’Donnell will oversee Designer Brands’ owned and licenced brand portfolio worldwide. Notable brands in the portfolio include Kelly & Katie, Crown Vintage, Hush Puppies, Le Tigre, Lucky Brand, Jessica Simpson, Keds, and Vince Camuto.
She will oversee all facet of the business’s brand portfolio, from sourcing and design to wholesale and direct-to-consumer sales. O’Donnell will answer directly to Doug Howe, the CEO of Designer Brands.
O’Donnell has a wealth of prior experience in commercial planning, brand marketing, and merchandising. She was the chief executive officer of Everlane from 2021 till she joined Designer Brands. Before joining Everlane, O’Donnell was president of fashion and lifestyle at Deckers, where she oversaw the growth of the Ugg and Koolaburra brands. Previously, she was president of global merchandising at DFS Group, a multibillion-dollar store that is primarily owned by LVMH.
She previously held the position of executive director at Lane Crawford and has had a number of other positions at retail companies, including as Debenhams, John Lewis, Hackett London, and Jaeger.
“With Andrea’s appointment as brands president, we are bringing into our organization a distinctive and crucial skillset that we believe will enable us to accelerate our roadmap as we continue growing as a brand builder,” said Howe.
