Los Angeles Luxury Brand Amiri Appoints New CEO Who Comes From Burberry
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For nine years, Mike Amiri has been juggling two jobs at the same time.
He has worked both as the chief executive officer and the chief creative officer of his namesake luxury line created in Los Angeles in 2014.
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But there is a new person coming on board. Starting April 1, Adrian Ward-Rees will step into the CEO position after working for nearly three years as the senior vice president at Burberry. Before that, he spent time as the managing director at Dior Homme.
Mike Amiri said the CEO, who graduated from the University of Surrey, brings 30 years of knowledge and experience in the fashion and luxury goods sector to his new position. “Adrian has strong and holistic expertise in all facets of the business,” the company founder said. “His thoughtful insight within the luxury sector combined with a modern approach made him the best candidate to drive the continued growth at Amiri.”
With Ward-Rees on board, Amiri will have more time to concentrate on his job as creative director and develop the company’s accessories and womenswear lines as well as new categories.
Amiri, who grew up in Los Angeles, began his career crafting stage pieces for rock-‘n’-roll performers. He launched his line in 2014 with a capsule collection at the luxury retailer Maxfield in West Hollywood.
By 2019, Renzo Rosso’s OTB Group, the holding company for brands including Diesel, Maison Margiela, Jil Sander and Viktor & Rolf took a minority stake in the L.A. company, which helped expansion efforts.
Since then, Amiri has branched out to retail locations around the globe and recently showed its men’s fall 2023 collection at Paris Fashion Week.
Amiri’s men’s luxury pieces include jeans selling for $1,190, tie-dye sweatpants for $990 and hoodies for $850. Women’s T-shirts go for $350, cargo pants sell for $1,390 and sweaters fetch $790.
Late last year, Amiri opened a 3,555-square-foot store at The Dubai Mall, one of eight Amiri retail spots around the world, which include a flagship on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Amiri plans to open a store in Chicago later this year and is scouting for locations in Paris and London.
The new CEO will help Amiri expand even more rapidly. “Mike has built an incredible brand with a real connection to youth culture and modern luxury,” Ward-Rees said in a statement. “I look forward to growing the business further, building its retail presence and the categories in careful alignment with the Amiri universe.”
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