BRIXTON announced the appointment of Seth Ellison, a Southern California native and 40+ year veteran of the lifestyle apparel and action sports sectors, to the role of Chief Executive Officer effective April 22nd. Most recently, he was the Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer for Levi Strauss & Company after having served for a decade in roles including Interim Levi’s Brand President, President of Levi’s Europe, and Global President of the Dockers brand. Prior to Levi’s, Seth served as EVP, Chief Commercial Officer of Alternative Apparel in Los Angeles. He rounds out his diverse experience across consumer segments, product categories, and geographies with experience in Sports – Nike and Perry Ellis Swim – and his history in action sports from VP of Design and Merchandise for Quiksilver to his role as President of Hurley International.
Altamont Capital Partners Co-Founder, Keoni Schwartz, shares that “We ran a very comprehensive search and Seth’s range of experiences was unique. He started in sports and action sports but has spent the last decade in lifestyle apparel; led brands equally relevant for men and women; led both domestic and international businesses; ran DTC businesses but is wholesale focused; he started in Design, Merch, and Sales, but has led a variety of both small and very large organisation as President/CEO. Seth’s breadth and depth will both be immensely valuable as he leads BRIXTON through its next phase of brand development and company growth”.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join the team at a time when market turmoil creates an enormous opportunity for a brand like BRIXTON”, said Seth Ellison. “Consumers want and our wholesale partners need more from us in terms of brand leadership, innovative products, consumer connection, and execution. BRIXTON has had a unique point of view since its inception, an incredible price-value ratio in our core products of hats and flannel, and a brand position at the centre of culture. We have all the right ingredients to become more meaningful to our brand loyalists and our retail partners as well as to introduce BRIXTON to new audiences.”
Vickie Mrva, Chair of the Board, added “I have to thank the entire team for the incredible effort and results while we conducted the search. We have a group of leaders who are both passionate about the brand and immensely talented. Seth understands the brand and shares our vision, but he will also be an excellent mentor and coach to help elevate everything we do.”
“When we created Brixton 20 years ago, we never intended to be a classic action sports company. I didn’t feel that there was a brand that spoke to me and all the things we were into.” added David Stoddard, Co-Founder and Chief Brand Advisor. “We all surfed and skated, but we were equally influenced by music, since we were in a band together. Unique fashion and style were important to us, or we wouldn’t have launched as a cut-and-sew hat brand. We were born from Oceanside, so our culture and style were more blue-collar versus the industry up North. We still believe that we are an authentic and unique blend of all those influences and don’t want to be a brand that stereotypes the consumer. I’m thrilled that Seth is joining us because he gets who we are and wants BRIXTON to be a better BRIXTON. I always felt that we could be the ‘Levi’s for the next generation’, a brand that was both blue-collar and broadly culturally relevant and that remained cool as it grew. Who could be better as our next CEO than someone who has already executed my aspiration?”
About Brixton:
Founded in 2004, Brixton is a high-growth, omni-channel lifestyle brand headquartered in Oceanside, CA. It is a unique, blue-collar oriented brand that was the first in Southern California to authentically blend surf, skate, music, design, and fashion. It incorporates modern classic styling with a core expertise in brimmed hats and the flagship Bowery flannel program. The company distributes its products across 1300 storefronts, seven owned retail stores, along with a growing eCommerce presence. Brixton has demonstrated its ability to grow while maintaining authenticity and is well positioned to continue this trajectory. The brand has a loyal global customer base across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. The company is well-diversified in categories including headwear, apparel and accessories which are sold through wholesale, eCommerce, and retail channels. For more information visit the website at https://www.brixton.com/pages/our-story
About Altamont Capital Partners:
Altamont Capital Partners is a private equity firm with over $4.3 billion of capital under management, focused primarily on making long-term, control investments in middle market businesses and established sector leadership within the consumer apparel space with seven investments to date. The firm is often drawn to companies undergoing transition, either operational or strategic. Altamont’s approach relies on partnering with strong management, supporting the business with our considerable resources, and bringing a constructive and pragmatic mindset to drive significant long-term value. For more information visit the website at https://www.altamontcapital.com
