Joel Horowitz joins DVF as co-chairman

American fashion label Diane von Furstenberg has

appointed Tommy Hilfiger co-founder Joel Horowitz as co-chairman of the board.

Horowitz, who launched Tommy Hilfiger Inc with Hilfiger in 1989, served as president and chief operating officer of Tommy Hilfiger and then became chief executive office from 1994 to 2003, has come out of retirement to accept the position, which is effective immediately.  

With more than 35 years of experience in the industry, Horowitz will jointly oversee the board of directors with Diane von Furstenberg, while the company president, Paula Sutter, will continue to manage the day-to-day running of the business.

Commenting on the appointment von Furstenberg, founder of the eponymous label, said: “Looking back 13 years when I relaunched DVF, I am proud of where Paula Sutter and I, and our entire DVF team, have brought the company.

“We now have a global brand, a half-billion dollars in retail sales, 58 freestanding stores, and are represented in more than 70 countries. We are at the perfect stage for even greater worldwide growth, and I’m very excited that we’ve been able to attract someone of Joel Horowitz’s expertise and experience to join our company as Co-Chairman of the Board.”

Horowitz added: “I made a decision a long time ago to avoid joining any boards unless I could be actively involved in the company. I’ve seen so many opportunities over the past few years, but none have shown as much potential or excited me as much as DVF.

“Diane and her team have created something incredibly special that consumers all over the world appreciate, and I look forward to working with the management team to further grow the business.”