Joey Rodolfo, senior vice president of men’s design at Tommy Bahama for more than 10 years, is leaving he company and is expected to launch a new venture in the near future.
Rodolfo joined Tommy Bahama in his most recent post in 2005, two years after its $325 million acquisition by Oxford Industries Inc., and was responsible for the creation and development of its Relax by Tommy Bahama division, now a large part of the company’s men’s business and among the vehicles responsible for transforming the brand from a “Hawaiian shirt company” to a full lifestyle label.
Prior to joining Tommy Bahama, Rodolfo was founder of Double R Corp., which outfitted the U.S. contestants for the 2001 Ryder Cup competition and developed the JR 1879 and Resort Two brands.
Earlier in his career, he was cofounder and senior vice president of design at Cutter & Buck, a fashion-infused men’s golf collection where he spent eight years, and held the same titles at Bench Co. Ltd., where he served between 1987 and 1989.
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He’d previously worked at Unionbay Sportswear and Catalina Swimwear.
Rodolfo was recruited by the founders of Tommy Bahama — Tony Margolis, Lucio Dalla Gasperina and Bob Emfield.
“I am proud of the accomplishments my team and I made in extending the brand,” Rodolfo said. “Together we created an iconic island lifestyle collection that expertly brought casual sportswear to the island.”
Rodolfo couldn’t be reached to elaborate on his plans, but market sources said he is planning to start a Seattle-based consulting agency with a partner to address merchandising, branding and visual design.
Last year, Tommy Bahama generated $627.5 million in revenues, 7.3 percent above the prior year, with men’s wear accounting for about 70 percent of sales, or $440 million. The company has said it aims to lift women’s wear’s percentage of sales from the current 30 percent to about 50 percent.
The $627.5 million represented 62.9 percent of Oxford’s 2014 revenues of $997.8 million.