Weird Fish hires former Bench boss Kelvin Vidler

Lifestyle and fashion brand Weird Fish has named Kelvin Vidler,

the former managing director of Americana International, parent of the Bench and Hooch brands, as its new international sales director.

In a move to expand the brands wholesale business, Vidler has been tasked with driving the international expansion of the brand through its wholesale channel, with Northern Europe the target for the initial stage.

Weird Fish managing director John Stockton said: “We welcome Kelvin to the team as an integral part of Weird Fish’s future. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and core experience in international business which will be fundamental to the group’s ambitious growth plans.”

Vidler added: “This is an exciting opportunity with a fantastic brand that has the huge international potential I have experienced in previous lives. With many UK brands being swallowed up by large companies, homogenising the offering, it’s great to be working with a growing independent brand whose core values are with the product and customer.”

The brand, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, has 11 standalone retail stores and 450 wholesale accounts in the UK and the Netherlands.