KSGB APPOINTS STEVE HARDEN AS PRESIDENT OF SUPRA FOOTWEAR AND KR3W DENIM CO.
(Los Angeles, CA) September 25, 2017 – K-Swiss Global Brands (KSGB), a division of the privately held Korean company E-Land Group and owner of the K-Swiss, Palladium, PLDM, OTZ Shoes, Supra and KR3W brands, has announced the appointment of Steve Harden as President of SUPRA Footwear and KR3W Denim Co., effective today. Harden will be based in KSGB’s global headquarters in Los Angeles and will report to KSGB Chairman and CEO, Phillip Jeong. In his new role as President, Harden will oversee all facets of the business including product, marketing, operations and sales globally.
“We are very excited that Steve will be joining the KSGB team leading both Supra and KR3W,” states Jeong. “Steve brings with him not only an excellent pedigree, but the right fit for our team and business.”
Harden has a proven history of building and leading effective sales and marketing teams, developing brand sales channels and delivering marketing strategies to drive multi-million dollar revenue. He brings more than 24 years of experience to KSGB, most recently serving as Vice President of North American Sales for footwear and personal protection equipment at Honeywell. Prior to Honeywell, Harden served as Vice President of Sales and Operations for Oakley’s wholesale sports division and has held executive positions at Yakima, VF Corporation and Adidas.
SUPRA is a footwear innovator and global lifestyle brand founded in Southern California in 2006. Inspired by passion and born from skate, SUPRA fuses skateboarding, fashion, music, art, and street to bring classic silhouettes in an innovative way. Today SUPRA operates flagship stores in Mexico City, Paris, and Tokyo and distributes to over 60 countries through a network of select skate shops and high-end boutiques.
KR3W began in 2003 as an apparel brand influenced by diverse Southern California life and skate culture. The brand made its name in denim, changing the industry paradigm with the introduction of its K-Slim Denim line, which uses an innovative performance stretch fabric and a narrow profile. KR3W has since expanded its apparel range, evolving beyond its skate foundations and transitioning into a lifestyle brand, all while maintaining its signature “Dark Americana’ aesthetic.
“I’m honored to have the opportunity to help lead and grow the Supra and KR3W brands with the talented and experienced team at KSGB,” says Harden. “Our overarching goal is to create a robust retail and consumer-focused strategy, leverage our innovative product design process, and exceed our capacity to serve our loyal consumer base.”
About KSGB
KSGB is a division of E-Land Group serving as E-Land’s base of operations in the Americas and EMEA. KSGB owns a portfolio of leading, global lifestyle brands including K-Swiss, Palladium, PLDM, OTZ Shoes, SUPRA Footwear and KR3W Denim Co. The company is globally headquartered in Downtown Los Angeles, CA with offices in Haarlem, Lyon, Dongguan, Hong Kong and Taipei.
About E-Land Group
Established in 1980 in Korea, E-Land has grown to become one of the largest South Korean conglomerates, primarily specializing in fashion and retail distribution. E-Land is Korea’s first and largest integrated fashion and retail company with operations spanning nine different countries across three continents, including Korea, China, India, the United States, Italy and the United Kingdom. Comprised of over 60 affiliated entities, the Company offers close to 200 brands and operates more than 10,000 stores worldwide, recording approximately US$ 10 billion of revenues annually.
