IBrands acquires Pam & Gela

IBrands Global, a leading international supply chain platform and brand collective operating within the fashion, wellness, and foodservice supplies industries, has completed the acquisition of apparel line Pam & Gela. Additionally, the company has appointed Malinda Behrens as general manager of its apparel vertical, overseeing all brand development for bebe, EBY, Alloy, Blue Desire, and now, Pam & Gela. IBrands also appointed Jameelah Booker as Pam & Gela’s new lead designer.

Tapping Behrens as divisional general manager, as well as the acquisition of Pam & Gela, signals an increase of focus on IBrand’s apparel vertical. It plans to take a modern approach to rebuild Pam & Gela.

“As the former chief merchandising officer at Carbon38, senior vice president of merchandising and product development at Juicy Couture, president of Monica Chiang, and vice president of international business development at Club Monaco/Polo Ralph Lauren, Malinda brings a wide array of talent and a steady hand to the IBrands family,” said IBrands global founder and chairman, Marc Garson, in a statement. “We see Malinda’s role as one that will shape the future of the company in the fashion and retail space. We’re thrilled to have her.”

Over the coming months, IBrands plans to revamp the Pam & Gela business model by further investing in e-commerce, introducing technology to expedite product deliveries and improve customer service, announcing international supply partnerships, and creating virtual showrooms to drive wholesale growth. The new e-commerce merchandise strategy also includes high-tier fashion capsule collections with 8-12 new SKU launches per month.

IBrands has shown previous success in executing the rebranding of apparel companies upon acquisition. When IBrands acquired Alloy Apparel, the direct-to-consumer tall women’s brand, sales increased by an average of 150 percent YOY for three consecutive years. Behrens will join the leadership ranks with Remy Garson, IBrands CEO, Cole Garson, chief operating officer, and Darryn Garson, chief growth officer. Company executives have stated their intent to make additional acquisitions in the fashion space in 2022 with Behrens’ guidance.

Due to circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pam & Gela brand experienced a dormant period, which paved the way for the brand’s acquisition and a shakeup of leadership. Beginning as early as February, customers can expect to see new products arriving via Pam & Gela’s e-commerce store, building into a full lifestyle assortment by July.

“With an incredible customer loyalty and great brand DNA, I know consumers will be excited to have this brand come back stronger than ever,” said Behrens in a statement. “Coming from Carbon38, I went to school on the thought of ‘solving for her day,’ and I plan to bring a lot of the processes and speed to market tactics from my time there and apply it to the Pam & Gela brand. That being said, this brand already has an incredibly strong design heritage and sense of legacy; Pam & Gela is a cornerstone of the shift away from dressing structurally and paved the way for the era of what’s now athleisure. I couldn’t be more excited about the possibilities to continue to evolve this brand.”

Pam & Gela, founded in 2015, describe themselves as the creator of casual chic where effortless style has become a world of perfect tees, sweats, and new-wave tracksuits. The brand says they are a combination of laid-back Rock ‘n Roll Bohemian and feminine with an edge; known for everyday style elevated and translating ‘West Coast chic’ to the world.

Throughout the pandemic, the IBrands team became a top supplier of PPE and safety products to the food services industry. As companies continue to navigate the pandemic and supply chain challenges, IBrands aggressively seeks growth opportunities and new lines of business.