Dive Brief:
- DTC bridal brand Birdy Grey has named Jill Layfield its new chief executive officer, per a news release.
- Layfield most recently was CEO of James Michelle Jewelry, a DTC jewelry brand. Before that, she co-founded and served as CEO of DTC luxury footwear brand Tamara Mellon from 2016 to 2021. She also was president and CEO of Backcountry, where she helped drive revenues to $500 million, which led to the sale of the brand to TSG Consumer Partners.
- Stepping down from their roles as CEO and president are company co-founders Grace Lee Chen and Monica Ashauer, who now become chief creative officer and chief strategy officer, respectively. They will continue as board members.
Dive Insight:
Birdy Grey has tapped a new leader as it prepares for its next stage of growth.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jill Layfield to our team as our new CEO,” Chen said in a statement. “With her proven leadership and extensive experience in DTC e-commerce, we are confident that she will be a driving force in unlocking the next phase of growth for Birdy Grey. Jill’s expertise will be instrumental in driving our strategic initiatives, expanding our market presence and taking our vision for Birdy Grey to new heights.”
Jill Layfield joins Birdy Grey with extensive leadership experience, including as Backcountry’s CEO.
Courtesy of Birdy Grey
Founded in 2017, Birdy Grey is known for its array of bridesmaid dresses and accessories. The brand expanded into men’s ties, bowties, and pocket squares to match the brand’s bridesmaid dress color assortment, and in March it will launch its first collection of men’s suits.
The product expansions come as the brand grows its revenue: Birdy Grey in its announcement said it hit $100 million in revenue in 2024.
While Birdy Grey is sold exclusively on its website, Chen said the company is looking at ways to expand its distribution.
“We know brides are eager to experience Birdy Grey offline,” Chen said in an email. “While we don’t have immediate plans for 2025, we’re excited to introduce offline experiences in 2026 … We’re exploring strategic wholesale partnerships, but there are no immediate plans for launch just yet.”
The latest hire also follows several C-suite additions by the brand in the past few years. The company in late 2022 hired Liyan Shen as its chief financial officer. And in February 2023, it named Steve Zawada, co-founder of Eloquii, as its chief operating officer. However, that hire lasted about six months as Zawada left the company and was replaced by Cat Chen. The brand also brought on Brendan Hastings as chief technology officer. In late 2023, the company added Tanya Hersh as its first chief marketing officer.
