Kellwood Company designs, manufactures, and markets a growing collection of premier fashion brands across a broad range of consumer lifestyles including Vince, Rebecca Taylor

Rebecca Taylor

Rebecca Taylor is a New Zealand-born fashion designer based in New York, New York, United States. To Americans, she is probably the most famous New Zealand designer, with her label at US and European department stores. Her retail outlets include boutiques in Japan...

, ADAM

Adam Lippes

Adam Lippes is an American fashion designer. Mr. Lippes is the Founder and Creative Director of the eponymous fashion collection ADAM.-Life and career:...

, Baby Phat

Baby Phat

Baby Phat is an urban fashion line of clothing and other items for women and girls. Besides clothing, the brand also includes accessories for phones, jewelry, shoes and fragrances. It is the corporate "sibling" of the clothing brand Phat Farm created by Russell Simmons. Baby Phat uses a sleek cat...

, Phat Farm

Phat Farm

Phat Farm is a national fashion line created by the vision of Russell Simmons, the founder of the modern day hip-hop movement, Phat Farm, a division of Phat Fashions , is symbol of men's contemporary American culture, mixing the urban aesthetics of the streets and the preppy culture of the Ivy...

, Sag Harbor, Briggs NY, Jolt, and My Michelle as well as licensed brands XOXO

XOXO (brand)

XOXO is an American contemporary clothing brand, owned by Kellwood Company. XOXO is targeted towards young females, mainly teenagers. It was started by Greg Fiene in 1991, creating what is now one of the first contemporary brands especially for teens, sold at an affordable price...

 and David Meister

David Meister

David Meister in Cincinnati, Ohio is an American fashion designer known for his women’s wear. As a young child in Cincinnati, David was heavily influenced by style-conscious TV shows such as Sonny & Cher, which fueled his aspiration of becoming a fashion designer.Born and raised in Ohio, Meister...

. Kellwood operates Vince, Rebecca Taylor

Rebecca Taylor

Rebecca Taylor is a New Zealand-born fashion designer based in New York, New York, United States. To Americans, she is probably the most famous New Zealand designer, with her label at US and European department stores. Her retail outlets include boutiques in Japan...

 and ADAM

Adam Lippes

Adam Lippes is an American fashion designer. Mr. Lippes is the Founder and Creative Director of the eponymous fashion collection ADAM.-Life and career:...

 retail stores as well as Sag Harbor and Koret outlet stores.

History

In 1961, fifteen independent suppliers of soft goods to Sears, Roebuck and Co. merged to form Kellwood Company. With its formation, the new company had 22 plants in 10 states and 7,000 employees. The original product lines included a wide variety of apparel, camping equipment and bedding.

Taking its name from two former Sears’ executives, Charles H. Kellstadt and Robert E. Wood

Robert E. Wood

Robert Elkington Wood was a U.S. Army Brigadier General and businessman best known for his leadership of Sears, Roebuck and Company.- Early life :...

, The first officers included Maurice Perlstein, president and treasurer; Fred W. Wenzel, vice president; Stanley M. Guthunz, vice president; Ovide de St. Aubin, Jr., vice president; and Howard Michaelson, Jr., secretary.

The company experienced its greatest success under the leadership of William John McKenna, who served as COO and later CEO from 1982 to 1996. For Kellwood Company, McKenna acquired Smart Shirts, Cape Cod-Cricket Lane, American Recreation Products Ltd., Crowntuft Manufacturing Corporation, Lumberjack Inc., D Corporation Inc., California Ivy, Inc., A.J. Brandon, Inc., Parsons Place Apparel (now Sag Harbor), E Z Sportswear (now Melrose), En Chant Inc. (now ENC), Goodman Knitting Company, Inc., Dotti and Sierra Designs, and launched a Kathie Lee Gifford clothing label. Also under Mr. McKenna's term, Kellwood's sales surpassed $1 billion.

The 15 original companies were:

• Ahoskie Manufacturing Co.
• Albert of Arizona
• Biltmore Manufacturing Co.
• Calhoun Garment Co.
• Garver Manufacturing Co.
• Greenfield Manufacturing Co.
• Hawthorn Company
• McComb Manufacturing Co.
• Monticello Manufacturing Co.
• Ottenheimer Bros. Manufacturing Co.
• Oxford Manufacturing Co.
• Rutherford Garment Co.
• Siler City Manufacturing Co.
• Southern Foundations
• Spencer Manufacturing Co.

In February 2008, Kellwood Company became an affiliated company of Sun Capital Partners, Inc.

Acquisitions

January 2010, Kellwood Company acquires ISIS, an award winning outdoor company focused on women's performance and casual apparel.

August 2010, Kellwood Company acquires ADAM

ADAM (company)

- History of ADAM by Adam Lippes :ADAM, originally named adampluseve, was founded in 2004 by Adam Lippes, the former Creative Director of Oscar de la Renta. The range was launched in Spring 2004, starting as a range of luxury basics and later expanding into a full collection of sportswear for men...

, a contemporary sportswear collection for men and women, founded by Creative Director and Chief Executive Officer Adam Lippes

Adam Lippes

Adam Lippes is an American fashion designer. Mr. Lippes is the Founder and Creative Director of the eponymous fashion collection ADAM.-Life and career:...

.

January 2011, Kellwood Company acquires Rebecca Taylor

Rebecca Taylor

Rebecca Taylor is a New Zealand-born fashion designer based in New York, New York, United States. To Americans, she is probably the most famous New Zealand designer, with her label at US and European department stores. Her retail outlets include boutiques in Japan...

, a contemporary sportswear brand created by New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

-born fashion designer Rebecca Taylor

Rebecca Taylor

Rebecca Taylor is a New Zealand-born fashion designer based in New York, New York, United States. To Americans, she is probably the most famous New Zealand designer, with her label at US and European department stores. Her retail outlets include boutiques in Japan...

 and her business partner Elizabeth Bugdaycay.

July 2011, An affiliate of Sun Capital Partners and Kellwood Company announced an agreement to acquire Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

-based fashion brand Scotch & Soda.

July 2011, Kellwood announced its acquisition of Zobha, a high performance yoga and fitness apparel and accessories company.

Brands owned by Kellwood Company

• VINCE.
  VINCE.
  Vince is a contemporary clothing line founded in 2002 by Rea Laccone and Christopher LaPolice on the principles of iconic design and superior quality....
  
  
• ADAM
  ADAM (company)
  - History of ADAM by Adam Lippes :ADAM, originally named adampluseve, was founded in 2004 by Adam Lippes, the former Creative Director of Oscar de la Renta. The range was launched in Spring 2004, starting as a range of luxury basics and later expanding into a full collection of sportswear for men...
  
   by Adam Lippes
  Adam Lippes
  Adam Lippes is an American fashion designer. Mr. Lippes is the Founder and Creative Director of the eponymous fashion collection ADAM.-Life and career:...
  
  
• David Meister
  David Meister
  David Meister in Cincinnati, Ohio is an American fashion designer known for his women’s wear. As a young child in Cincinnati, David was heavily influenced by style-conscious TV shows such as Sonny & Cher, which fueled his aspiration of becoming a fashion designer.Born and raised in Ohio, Meister...
  
  
• XOXO
  XOXO (brand)
  XOXO is an American contemporary clothing brand, owned by Kellwood Company. XOXO is targeted towards young females, mainly teenagers. It was started by Greg Fiene in 1991, creating what is now one of the first contemporary brands especially for teens, sold at an affordable price...
  
  
• BLKDNM - a Johan Lindeberg
  Johan Lindeberg
  Johan Lindeberg is a Swedish fashion designer.-History:*He was the Marketing Director of Diesel from 1990 until 1996.*He was the CEO of Diesel US from 1994 to 1996....
  
   project.
• Baby Phat
  Baby Phat
  Baby Phat is an urban fashion line of clothing and other items for women and girls. Besides clothing, the brand also includes accessories for phones, jewelry, shoes and fragrances. It is the corporate "sibling" of the clothing brand Phat Farm created by Russell Simmons. Baby Phat uses a sleek cat...
  
  
• Phat Farm
  Phat Farm
  Phat Farm is a national fashion line created by the vision of Russell Simmons, the founder of the modern day hip-hop movement, Phat Farm, a division of Phat Fashions , is symbol of men's contemporary American culture, mixing the urban aesthetics of the streets and the preppy culture of the Ivy...
  
  
• Sag Harbor
• Koret
• Jolt
• Jax
• Sangria
• My Michelle
• Democracy
• Briggs NY
• Rebecca Taylor (as of January 2011)
• Scotch & Soda
• Zobha
• Through American Recreation Products
  • Kelty
    Kelty (company)
    Kelty is a manufacturer of backpacks, tents, and sleeping bags owned by American Recreation Products. They are based in Boulder, Colorado and were started by Asher "Dick" Kelty Kelty is a manufacturer of backpacks, tents, and sleeping bags owned by American Recreation Products. They are based in...
    
    
  • Royal Robbins (company)
  • Sierra Designs
  • Slumberjack
  • Swiss Gear
  • Wenzel (company)