California Apparel News

Simon Spurr, a seasoned fashion designer who has worked at Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Kent and Curwen, has been named global creative director of Los Angeles–headquartered denim brand 7 For All Mankind.

The award-winning English designer will move to Los Angeles to develop the collection beyond its premium-denim base.

“It will be a collection-driven denim brand,” Spurr said in a telephone interview. “Denim will always be paramount for us. It will always be the spine of the brand. But there are glaring opportunities in ready-to-wear and creating a presence as a more cohesive lifestyle aesthetic.”

His first collection for the brand will be introduced for the Spring 2020 season.

Tim Baxter, the chief executive officer of Delta Galil Premium Brands, said that Spurr had the right fashion vision, entrepreneurial spirit and brand experience to lead the denim brand.

Delta Galil, the parent company of Delta Galil Premium Brands, bought 7 For All Mankind, Splendid and Ella Moss in 2016 for $120 million.

“Importantly, Simon also has a strong directional perspective on how we can modernize the brand and position it for accelerated growth while sustaining our legacy as a premium-denim brand,” he said.

Spurr was hired as part of a new 7 For All Mankind design team. Margaret Maldonado, co-founder of the women’s brand L’Agence, recently joined 7 For All Mankind as senior design director for women’s ready-to-wear.

Formerly with the Diesel brand, Alessandra Pesavento joined 7 For All Mankind’s international team as director of design and merchandising. Based in Switzerland, she is responsible for distilling Spurr’s creative direction with a product relevant to consumers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Larissa Noble, 7 For All Mankind women’s design director, and Wes Austin, the brand’s men’s design director, will also report to Spurr. “The direction will be based on a great foundation,” Spurr said. “I am here to unify the global divisions and add some halo product and icing to the cake. We will further increase the brand’s revenue where we can become a leading force not only in denim but in the ready-to-wear market.”

Spurr first gained acclaim as the creative director of his self-named New York–based Simon Spurr denim and menswear label. He worked there from 2005 until 2012, when he said he resigned after disagreements with his business partners. During those years, he visited Los Angeles every six weeks to inspect factories and dye houses where Simon Spurr denim was produced.

Spurr also served as the design director for Ralph Lauren’s Purple and Black labels, as a creative consultant for Tommy Hilfiger, and as a creative director for the Kent and Curwen label.

Prior to joining 7 For All Mankind, Spurr was the creative director for Eidos, the New York–headquartered division of the Italian-suiting brand Isaia.

Spurr has received several menswear award nominations from the Council of Fashion Designers of America and was a winner of Fashion Group International’s Rising Star award. “The challenge is to wrap my arms around womenswear,” Spurr said. “I’ve been fortunate to dress a lot of leading men. But on every leading man’s arm there’s a leading lady. There is a natural progression for me to start womenswear. The market is also embracing gender-neutral looks. The timing could not be any better.”

7 For All Mankind was founded in 2000 by Peter Koral, Jerome Dahan and Michael Glasser just as the premium-denim market was beginning to gain strength. It was sold to VF Corp. in 2007 for $775 million.