VF Corp. exec to lead Eddie Bauer
Eddie Bauer has tapped an outdoor veteran executive as its new chief executive.
The outdoor apparel and lifestyle brand named Tim Bantle as CEO. He succeeds Damien Huang, who left earlier this year after serving one year in the role. Huang, who had been with Eddie Bauer since 2010, left one year after the company was acquired by Authentic Brands Group, where it became part of the Sparc Group portfolio.
Bantle joins Eddie Bauer from VF Corp., where he has served as general manager, Canada, since March 2020. Before that, he spent three years at The North Face, a division of VF, serving as global general manager, urban exploration and mountain lifestyle.
Prior to VF, Bantle held leadership positions at Black Diamond Equipment, a manufacturer of equipment for climbing, skiing, and mountain sports, and Patagonia, where he spent seven years.
“Tim is a proven industry leader and an outdoor brand champion,” said Marc Miller, CEO, Sparc Group. “He brings a unique understanding of the outdoor consumer paired with deep technical knowledge that translates into commercial success. I am excited about the future of Eddie Bauer and am confident the brand will thrive under Tim’s leadership.”
Bantle takes the reins at Eddie Bauer, which has more than 200 stores in the U.S., Canada and global markets, as the company has been expanding its presence ways under its new owners. Earlier this month, the brand entered into a partnership with Japanese retail group Itochu to open the first freestanding Eddie Bauer stores in Japan, expand its shop-in-shop locations in that country and relaunch the its official Japanese e-commerce site.
In April, it entered into a partnership with travel-tech van startup Cabana, which offer vans and gear to rent for adventure enthusiasts. As part of the deal, Eddie Bauer outfitted five Cabana vans with branded bedding, gear and accessories.
“The team has done an incredible job driving global momentum for Eddie Bauer, and I am looking forward to working closely with them to introduce new audiences to the brand and broader outdoor lifestyle,” Bantle stated in a release. “Eddie Bauer has distinctive origins in the Pacific Northwest, and I am passionate about finding new ways to parlay elements of its unique and rich heritage into outdoor culture far and wide.”