USA: London Fog Completes Its Relocation To Seattle

Coat manufacturer London Fog has completed the relocation of its company headquarters to the northwest with the arrival of trade division president Paul Shriber in Seattle. The flagship brand, formerly headquartered in Eldersburg, Maryland, will take its place alongside other well-known names Pacific Trail, Towne, and Black Dot as well as Dockers and Levis outerwear under license from Levi Strauss and Co. Shriber reports directly to London Fog Industries president and CEO William Dragon Jr. Shriber joined the London Fog trade division as president in 1999, heading up the company's positioning and branding initiatives, consolidating operations and appointing new marketing and design teams. He previously spent three years as senior vice president/national sales manager for Pacific Trail's men's, women's and children's divisions, where he was instrumental in increasing sales by more than 60 per cent. "London Fog is the most recognized brand in outerwear and rainwear," claims Shriber. "It is now time to take advantage of our heritage of excellence and revitalize the brand for the fashionable consumer. Seattle's strong urban lifestyle and famous climate makes an ideal setting to inspire our merchandising and design teams."Shriber began his career with Pacific Trail in 1980 as a senior account executive, advancing through the ranks to his present position. "Having Paul's expertise at the helm of our trade division gives our brand a solid advantage," said Dragon. "He gives us the leadership necessary to build a world-class team that can keep London Fog at the top of its category and support our future growth plans."London Fog recently began executing its new branding and business strategies focusing on its wholesale operations and strengthening its relationships with retail partners. In 1999, London Fog closed 80 per cent of its outlet stores, leaving only 34 factory outlet stores across the United States.