Aerosoles has tapped industry veteran Jimmy Gabriel as its new president and chief brand officer.
According to the American Exchange Group-owned footwear company, Gabriel’s appointment into this newly-created role marks a critical step in reinforcing the strength of the Aerosoles brand as it looks into the future.
For Gabriel, he’s excited to start working with the team at American Exchange Group to bring Aerosoles “to the next level.”
“I consider myself first and foremost, a merchant,” Gabriel told FN in an interview. “I think that’s important. And then from there we will be looking to organize the brand and to rebuild a structure that includes wholesale, e-commerce and our own retail stores.”
Gabriel’s career spans nearly 50 years across the women’s, men’s, and kids’ footwear markets, covering all categories and price points. He has led the development, launch, and growth of major footwear brands, including Aquatalia, Coach Footwear, Calvin Klein Footwear, Frye, Taryn Rose, BCBG, Juicy Couture, and Enzo Angiolini.
Gabriel’s career began at Wohl Shoe Co., a division of Brown Shoe Co. (now Caleres), where he gained a strong business foundation and advanced through leadership roles. His career progressed at Nine West Group, leading to a vice president role at Enzo Angiolini, and then to Jimlar Corporation, where he was instrumental in expanding brands under a licensed agreement with both Coach and Calvin Klein.
Under his leadership, Coach Footwear introduced the iconic “C” logo in the sneaker, casual and dress footwear categories, creating one of the first upscale fashion sneaker lines available to consumers. At Calvin Klein footwear, Gabriel innovatively merged casual bottoms and dress uppers for a more versatile, wear-to-work product, driving significant market growth.
Gabriel spearheaded the acquisition and transformation of Aquatalia into a growing lifestyle brand under LFUSA/Global Brands Group (GBG), where he served as president of footwear. Through his leadership, Aquatalia expanded into men’s footwear, accessories, and outerwear while broadening its wholesale and direct-to-consumer channels, including the opening of its first store on Madison Avenue and the expansion of its website.
“With nearly 50 years of experience, his proven expertise and visionary leadership make him the ideal person to lead the brand,” Alen Mamrout, chief executive officer of American Exchange Group, said. “Jimmy’s deep industry knowledge and ability to transform brands will be invaluable as we continue to build on Aerosoles’ legacy of innovation and growth. We are confident that under his leadership, Aerosoles will reach new levels of success both domestically and globally, and we are pleased to welcome him to the team.”
“I’ve always thrived on finding white space in the market and reimagining what’s possible,” added Gabriel. “Aerosoles has incredible potential, both domestically and internationally. The opportunity to innovate and grow this brand within American Exchange Group is exciting. We have a talented team and a clear vision for the future. Alen and I share philosophies on so many different levels—it’s uncanny. It’s the reason I’m coming out of retirement and back to the business one more time.”
Gabriel’s appointment comes as American Exchange Group ramps up its footwear offering. The company acquired Aerosoles in 2022. Aerosoles previously launched a distribution partnership with American Exchange Group in July 2021.
American Exchange Group added to its shoe portfolio once again in 2023 with the acquisition of White Mountain Footwear. The privately owned White Mountain company has been based in Lisbon, N.H., since its founding in 1979 and includes two made-in-China labels, White Mountain and Cliffs.
In July, American Exchange Group acquired Island Surf Company, a nautically inspired shoe brand founded in 2008. Under the deal, Island Surf Company is slated to become a division of the White Mountain footwear brand, where it will benefit from existing infrastructure, sourcing expertise and retail partnerships.
