U P C L O S E C O M F O RT
New Leader of Earth Industry veteran Alison Bergen, most recently head of Aerosoles, takes the reins of the comfort company.
waste and supporting thoughtful consumption—is IT IS A job with a world of potential—literally. So as important as making cleaner, more disposable says new Earth OpCo CEO Alison Bergen on why goods,” she says. “It’s a balance, and we’re still refining she jumped at the chance to lead the 52-year-old and carving out our path on this front.” comfort company and its portfolio of Earth, Kalso, Bergen believes she’s up for the challenge. She Earth Origins and Earth Spirit brands. possesses nearly 20 years of experience in the conBergen cites Earth’s tremendous history in sumer and retail industries, most recently as CEO of wellness and quality, and its strong connection to Aerosoles, where she led the company’s turnaround the environment as key assets. “With a little bit of from post-bankruptcy acquisition in 2018 to its sale forward-thinking development, the product and to American Exchange this year. Prior to Aerosoles, brand are more relevant than ever and that opens up Bergen held leadership positions at Diane Von a tremendous opportunity to connect with a much Furstenberg, Michael Kors and broader audience,” she says. Louis Vuitton. She believes her The exec’s first orders of recent Aerosoles experience is business: to bring clarity and particularly beneficial. “The focus to Earth 2.0. “What is brands share many similar the product evolution and who attributes in product and disare the critical partners we can tribution, but more so in where build deeper, prosperous relathey are in their lifecycle,” she tionships with going forward, offers. “Great businesses with a be it wholesale distribution or strong core, talent and relevant the consumer directly,” Bergen DNA that feel a little out of says, adding that the goal for relevancy. I love it because just this year is to modernize the like Aerosoles, I was able to product and reintroduce some provide clarity, direction and of the better product that was add value both as a merchant— historically a very important my true love—on the product driver for Earth. “There are so side as well as discipline on the many incredible advancements in financial side.” materials and technology, and we Then there’s the female execuhave a tremendous opportunity to tive perspective—a woman’s deliver superior quality—durable, touch that Bergen believes is multi-purpose footwear that needed at Earth. While the lasts for a lifetime.” company possesses attractive Also on the agenda is strengthqualities in sustainability and ening the company’s already wellness, coupled with it being strong to commitment to the a family-owned business for 50 environment. “Earth is doing a years (last year Windsong Capital lot more than some other brands, became a majority stakeholder) but we can and will be doing a Earth CEO Alison Bergen; a new hue that has created a “wonderfully lot more to reduce our carbon for this spring from the successful friendly and organic culture that footprint,” she says. “We feel a Birdline collection. we want to preserve,” Bergen says strong obligation to deliver on it needs to be complimented with better discipline. this promise given the weight of our name!” And “We need to listen to our partners where we might while Bergen says not every shoe can be built with not have been the easiest to work with as a result 100 percent recycled materials or chemical-free yet, of our more fluid process,” she says. “I’m not sure a concerted effort to swap out components with if that implies a female perspective is helpful, but more sustainable alternatives when possible and as leaders we need to be empathetic, and we need maintaining a commitment to quality while reducing to organized and multi-task as we drive creative impact on the environment will get the company to evolution but also fiscal control. I’ve been told some a very different place in five to 10 years. “Another women have those traits.” —Greg Dutter part of this conversation is slow fashion—reducing
Nice Threads Vintage rug boutique New England Loom launches wholesale collection. IS THAT A rug you’re wearing? New England Loom, a Wenham, MA, vintage rug boutique, is stepping into the wholesale shoe business with a collection of mules featuring uppers made of colorfully patterned rug remnants, so no two shoes are alike. Lindsay Graziano, who owns the business with her husband Josh, says the extension into footwear, beginning this fall, happened organically. “We were chatting with one of our rug wholesalers in Turkey about purchasing some kilim rug fragments and I mentioned that they would be really cool on shoes. And he was like, ‘I know a guy who does that!’” Graziano says. After an introduction, work on product molds and samples began and, a few months later, the first shipment arrived. “I was so impressed by the quality. Each pair is handmade with a lot of time and attention to detail and we’ve received amazing feedback,” Graziano says, noting they began featuring styles on their website about a year and a half ago. “We load new products onto our website every Sunday night, and footwear is consistently among the most sought-after items.” The mules feature high quality and sustainable materials like leather lined, wood block heels and fragments of vintage kilim rugs
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