Kellwood Names Jill Granoff Chief Executive Officer

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May 07, 2012, 06:00 ET

NEW YORK, May 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Kellwood Company, a leading apparel manufacturer and marketer owned by an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners Inc., today announced the appointment of Jill Granoff as Chief Executive Officer. Granoff brings a vast knowledge of the fashion industry and retailing to the position with over 20 years of brand building and executive leadership experience.

As Chief Executive Officer, Granoff will be responsible for the overall growth and direction of Kellwood's diversified portfolio of brands including Vince, Rebecca Taylor, David Meister, BLK DNM, Zobha, Lamb & Flag, Baby Phat, Phat Farm, Sag Harbor, Briggs NY, Jolt, My Michelle, and XOXO. Her broad experience across brands, channels, product categories and geographies will be a valuable asset for the company.

"I am excited about the opportunity to partner with Kellwood and Sun Capital to optimize the brand portfolio and enhance overall business performance," Ms. Granoff commented. "We have a great platform to accelerate growth and profitability. I look forward to working with our talented team to deliver compelling product, merchandising and customer experiences that enable us to unlock our true potential."

Most recently, Granoff served as Chief Executive Officer of Kenneth Cole Productions Inc., a leading designer and marketer of women's and men's apparel, footwear and accessories. Prior to that, Granoff was Executive Vice President of Liz Claiborne, Inc., where she had global responsibility for Juicy Couture, Lucky Brand Jeans, Kate Spade and the company's e-commerce and outlet businesses. Granoff previously held senior posts at Victoria's Secret Beauty where she last served as President and Chief Operating Officer and at Estee Lauder Inc. where she was Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning, Finance and Information Systems.

"We are thrilled to have Jill Granoff join Kellwood," Christopher T. Metz, Managing Director, Sun Capital Partners, Inc. stated. "Jill's experience and leadership will add significant value as Kellwood expands its presence in the industry and further grows its brands worldwide."

ABOUT KELLWOOD
Kellwood designs, manufactures, and markets a growing collection of premier fashion brands across a broad range of consumer lifestyles including Vince, Rebecca Taylor, David Meister, BLK DNM, Zobha, Lamb & Flag, Baby Phat, Phat Farm, Sag Harbor, Briggs NY, Jolt, My Michelle, and XOXO. Kellwood operates retail stores and e-commerce sites for Vince, Rebecca Taylor, BLK DNM and Lamb & Flag, as well as the e-commerce store for David Meister. For more information, visit Kellwood.com.

Kellwood is an affiliated portfolio company of Sun Capital Partners, Inc.

ABOUT SUN CAPITAL PARTNERS, INC.
Sun Capital Partners, Inc. is a leading private investment firm focused on leveraged buyouts, equity, debt, and other investments in companies that can benefit from its in-house operating professionals and experience. Sun Capital affiliates have invested in more than 300 companies worldwide with combined sales in excess of $45 billion since Sun Capital's inception in 1995. Sun Capital has offices in Boca Raton, Los Angeles, and New York, as well as affiliates in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Luxembourg, Shanghai and Shenzhen. For more information, please visit www.SunCapPart.com.