LOS ANGELES, Jan. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Forever 21 announced Winnie Park as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the iconic fashion brand. The appointment is effective immediately.
Ms. Park joins Forever 21 from Paper Source, where she served as CEO for the past six years. Her tenure at Paper Source is marked by transforming the brand from a brick-and-mortar retailer to a lifestyle brand with a robust digital platform spanning social, digital content, online subscriptions, and affiliate partnerships. She also led the successful sale of the brand to an affiliate of Barnes & Noble. Ms. Park will report into Marc Miller, CEO of SPARC.
"We are thrilled to have Winnie join the Forever 21 team. She is an inspirational leader and team builder who brings deep omni-channel experience and a track record of successfully growing businesses with particular strengths in strategy, merchandising, marketing and branding. As CEO, Winnie will add fresh perspective and approaches in connecting with the Forever 21 customer which will help drive Forever 21 from its current $2B sales level to new heights of success as a leading brand in SPARC's Fashion and Lifestyle brand portfolio," said Marc Miller, CEO of SPARC.
SPARC offers operational and strategic expertise including retail and e-commerce management, sourcing, design, and technology for leading global brands including Eddie Bauer, Brooks Brothers, Nautica, Lucky Brand and Aéropostale. SPARC is transforming the future of retail by driving innovation, connecting the consumer experience, and integrating expertise across its portfolio of growing brands.
"As a longtime shopper and admirer of the brand, I am honored to join Forever 21 at such a pivotal time of reinvention and reinvigoration," Ms. Park said. "I am looking forward to partnering with this exceptional leadership team to continue the transformation of this brand with a focus on the Forever 21 community including its people, purpose and business priorities across digital and traditional retail channels."
During her three-decade career, Ms. Park has brought leadership, strategic vision, and omni-channel brand experience across a variety of industries including fashion and retail. Prior to Paper Source, Ms. Park held high profile executive roles across E-commerce, Global Marketing, and Fashion Merchandising including a nine-year tenure at the Hong Kong-based international luxury retail leader, DFS, a division of LVMH. At DFS, she was responsible for launching the company's first global eCommerce site for fashion, beauty, watch/jewelry, and spirits serving customers across China, Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the U.S. She started her career at McKinsey & Company San Francisco in fashion retail and consumer digital before joining Levi Strauss and Company to lead Women's Merchandising for Dockers.
Ms. Park currently is on the Board and Audit Committee of Dollar Tree, a publicly traded Fortune 500 retailer, where she brings a focus on omnichannel retail, and is on the Board for Women in Retail Leadership. She has also served as an Independent Board Director and member of the Compensation and Governance and Audit Committees for Express, where she worked closely with the new management team on their strategic turn-around with a focus on their merchandising, eCommerce, and digital marketing initiatives.
A graduate of Princeton University, Winnie completed her bachelor's degree from the School of Public and International Affairs with a minor in East Asian Studies, and holds an MBA in Corporate Finance and Marketing from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
About Forever 21
Forever 21 continues to be a fashion industry leader making the latest trends accessible to all while inspiring unique style and confidence. Forever 21 drives innovation across retail, providing designs, fabrications and fits for customers at an affordable price. Now a part of Authentic Brands Group, Brookfield Property Group and Simon Property Group, Forever 21 has a renewed focus on improving the customer experience while expanding access and convenience for customers. With over 540 locations around the world, Forever 21 remains a legacy brand for fashions fans today and tomorrow. For more information visit Forever21.com.
About SPARC
SPARC Group LLC (SPARC) is a global enterprise which designs, sources, manufactures, distributes, and markets apparel and accessories for men, women, and kids. A full-service retail operator, SPARC delivers product and commerce innovation through a multi-brand platform which supports 4,360-plus* retail doors and shop-in-shops, robust eCommerce, and leading wholesale accounts in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. As the dedicated operating partner for Reebok*, Brooks Brothers, Nautica, Eddie Bauer, Aéropostale, Forever 21, and Lucky Brand, SPARC supports approximately $12.7 billion in global retail sales annually. *Pending acquisition in Q1 2022.
SOURCE Forever 21
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