James Watson Joins Robert Talbott in Brand Development Role

Robert Talbott continues to build its team, snagging menswear veteran James Watson of Jack Victor to be its senior vice president of brand development.

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Watson had been the creative director of Jack Victor since April 2021. Under his direction, the Canadian tailored clothing company made successful inroads into the luxury sportswear business.

Before Jack Victor, Watson was the international sales director of Eleventy and he also served as merchandise manager of men’s for Michael Kors and held an international business development role for Slowear.

Robert Talbott is a division of the Newtimes Group, a 60-plus-year-old privately owned supply-chain management firm based in Hong Kong. Newtimes quietly purchased the trademar k, domain name and certain inventory for Robert Talbott from Hilco Streambank in April 2021 following an auction, and relaunched the brand in 2023.

Shortly after the relaunch, Robert Talbott brought Sebastian Dollinger, formerly of Eton, on board as creative director.

Robert Talbott was founded by Robert and Audrey Talbott who left the East Coast with their son Robb in 1950 and moved to Carmel, Calif., where they started a business based on Audrey Talbott’s skill creating handcrafted silk neckwear. The company expanded into furnishings, men’s made-to-measure tailored clothing, knitwear, sportswear, leathers and womenswear.

Robert Talbott died in 1986 and Audrey ran the business until her death in 2004, when it was passed to Robb. However, Robb Talbott was a winemaker rather than an apparel operator, and he turned to others to run the brand.

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The brand went through a series of veteran CEOs and a retail expansion before it was forced to reduce staff and close its headquarters and manufacturing facility in Monterey, Calif. Eventually, Robb Talbott sold the business to Relevant Brands Holdings, which attempted to relaunch it in 2019, but those plans were abandoned during the pandemic and Hilco was retained to sell the brand’s intellectual property.

Newtimes, however, appears to be dedicated to reviving the brand and it has now developed a stock replenishment service to help its retail customers restock quickly.

“I am pleased to be joining Newtimes and to be part of the team working on the relaunch of Robert Talbott, one of the best U.S.-born heritage brands,” Watson said. “Being part of the Newtimes network gives us a distinct competitive advantage, allowing us to craft exceptional products using the best materials and the expertise of our skilled artisans across Europe. This connection ensures that we will uphold the brand’s legacy while delivering unparalleled craftsmanship, innovation and service to today’s discerning customers.”

Jack Victor did not immediately respond to inquiries about whether it planned to replace Watson.

“James Watson’s appointment marks a significant milestone in our vision for Robert Talbott’s future,” said Alex Angelchik, group managing director of Newtimes Group. “His exceptional experience in sales and luxury brand development rounds out our executive team and perfectly positions us to elevate the Robert Talbott legacy while meeting the sophisticated needs of today’s customer.”

Newtimes has created a Newtimes Brands division to house its apparel brands that include Ashworth Golf, Bike Athletic, Coldwater Creek and Soft Surroundings in addition to Robert Talbott.

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