Bay Area Menswear Companies Agree to Merge
San Francisco–based Revel Industries has acquired rising menswear company Gytha Mander for an undisclosed sum.
As part of the merger, Revel, which manufactures and distributes the REVL and Headline Shirts T-shirt lines, will provide financial, operational and sales support for Gytha Mander, a better menswear line that distributes T-shirts, dress shirts and ties.
Gytha Mander’s founder, Casey Berman, and chief designer, Michael Phillips Moskowitz, will stay on with Revel, providing creative and operational support for all the company’s brands.
The lines are sold to specialty boutiques, including Villains in San Francisco and RIMO in Los Angeles.
“This is a perfect match for us,” said Berman. “Revel has a great showroom at Florida and 20th Street in San Francisco.”
Added Chris Gorog, president of Revel: “We set out to help innovative and interesting fashion lines grow, and Gytha Mander is a quintessential example of what we stand for. This is a truly unique line that, with the right support base, has the potential to become a real force in boutique fashion.”
Gytha Mander, which means “a gift from me” in Old English, was founded in 2004 by Berman and Moskowitz. It was recently named line of the month by Esquire UK magazine and best of 2006 by SF Weekly magazine.
Berman said the creative direction for the line will continue as planned. “Just think of two hip and wild guys invading Saville Row, and that will give you an idea of what our line is about.”
Signature pieces include multi-patterned silk ties, contrasting French-cuff dress shirts and leather wallet holsters fashioned in the style of the Old West.
Revel provides a range of services, including business consulting, apparel design, production, inventory management and fulfillment, styling services, and online apparel marketplace development.
—Robert McAllister
