Skims names Dawn Vitale chief merchandising officer amid global expansion

Shapewear and apparel brand Skims has appointed Dawn Vitale as its new chief merchandising officer, a move that intends to reflect the next stages in its ongoing international expansion.

Vitale joins Skims from Levi Strauss & Co., where she spent six years, initially as vice president before being promoted chief merchandising officer for the Levi’s brand. During this time, she was credited with launching transformative growth strategies, expanding its reach across womenswear and lifestyle, while further strengthening the label’s global positioning.

Vitale has also held various leadership roles at PVH Corp, namely as vice president of Tommy Hilfiger and head of merchandising at Calvin Klein Jeans International. Prior to this, she had also been with Gap for nearly a decade, garnering experience in vertical retail and product storytelling.

At Skims, a label co-founded by reality TV star Kim Kardashian and CEO Jens Grede, Vitale has been tasked with overseeing the brand’s global merchandising strategy, alongside pushing forward innovation in core categories and supporting ongoing international expansion.

For the brand, her appointment comes amid an acceleration in global expansion, already evidenced by existing or planned stores located across the US and the UK. Such growth has pushed Skims to strengthen its global product organisation, prompting it to launch new categories like Skims Men to expand its reach.

Speaking on her new role, Vitale said she was excited to build on Skims’ strong foundation “by advancing the merchandising vision, delivering product assortments that connect deeply with consumers, and helping shape the brand’s next phase of global growth”.