US’ Brunt Workwear, the fast-growing footwear and apparel brand for construction workers, has appointed Kevin Eskridge as the company’s president. In this role, Eskridge will oversee the company’s product development, merchandising, sourcing, and global retail expansion as Brunt accelerates its rapid growth as a leader in the modern workwear category.

Bringing more than 20 years of industry experience, Eskridge most recently served as the chief product officer at Under Armour where he spent more than a decade driving the company’s product innovation, channel strategy, and international growth. A seasoned industry executive, Eskridge held a number of instrumental roles at Under Armour, culminating in his role as the company’s chief product officer between 2017 and 2020.

Previously, he also served as president of sport performance, senior vice president of global merchandising and planning, and the first managing director of Under Armour in China. In Eskridge’s first role at Under Armour, he worked in the tactical, hunting, and outdoor categories. Eskridge began his career at Gap, and also was a vice president at Armani Exchange, Brunt said in a media statement.

Eskridge joins Brunt at a pivotal time as the brand aims to triple its staff in key functions such as product management and design, channel diversification, and lifecycle digital marketing in 2022. The company recently expanded into apparel after breakout success with its work boots and raised a $20 million Series B round with participation from leading growth-equity firm Stripes and real estate developer TF Cornerstone, among others. In 2021, Brunt  exceeded its 2021 forecast by 80 per cent, as sales surged 119 per cent between the first half and second half of the year.

"We couldn't be more excited to welcome Eskridge to Brunt. Not only does he have an incredible track record of building high-growth teams, but more importantly he understands how to create a strong connection with customers through innovative, thoughtfully-designed products which are so important to the community we serve. Eskridge has the exact combination of product and commercial experience, as well as a palpable passion for our category, to help us transform Brunt into a leader, and there is no limit on how far we can go together,” Eric Girouard, founder, and CEO of Brunt, said in a statement.

“The success that Brunt has achieved in a short amount of time is impressive. All the ingredients to become an established leader in the industry are here: a passionate and loyal customer base, a product that is innovative and problem-solving, and a founder with an unwavering mission to build a best-in-class brand,” Eskridge said.