MANUFACTURING
Hybrid Apparel Names New CEO
Hybrid Apparel, the Cypress, Calif., company that does all kinds of casual clothing, announced it has a new chief executive.
Taking over the top position at the more-than-20-year-old company is Bill Hutchison, who joins the company on Jan. 14. He will be responsible for all of Hybrid’s business and will report to the board of directors.
Hutchison previously was at the AM Retail Group, where he was president since 2011, leading the organization’s retail division, which included Wilson’s Leather, G.H. Bass, DKNY, CK Performance and Karl Lagerfeld Paris.
During his time there, he overhauled the brands’ organizational structures and go-to-market approaches, growing revenues from $100 million to more than $500 million in seven years through incremental growth and acquisitions.
Hutchison began his career in merchandising and sourcing in the buying office at Dillard’s, where he led the creation of a private-label brand. He later worked in product development and led the entire merchandising organization for Wilson’s Leather, then transitioning into the AM Retail Group to lead merchandising, marketing and design.
“I am thrilled and beyond excited to join Hybrid Apparel,” Hutchison said in a statement. “Hybrid is an industry leader, and I look forward to working with the talented and experienced team in building a best-in-class organization.”
Jarrod Dogan founded Hybrid Apparel in 1997 in the back of a print shop in East Los Angeles. It quickly expanded from a small T-shirt supplier to a full-service apparel house, designing and distributing branded, licensed and private-label apparel to a diverse retail base.
Dogan was the chief executive until last year. He now works with the company’s board of directors to focus on acquisitions and further strengthen Hybrid’s relationships with studios, licensors, retailers and other partners.
In 2014, Altamont Capital Partners in Palo Alto, Calif., made a strategic investment in the company.
Two years ago, Hybrid Apparel acquired childrenswear maker Evy of California, which used to be headquartered in downtown Los Angeles. Hybrid, through its acquisition of JMJD Ventures, also owns Junkfood Clothing in Culver City, Calif.
