NORTH SAILS APPAREL NAMES MAURIZIO PRIANO CHIEF BRAND OFFICER

North Sails Apparel

Summary:

• North Sails Apparel appointed Maurizio Priano as Chief Brand Officer, responsible for brand, product and marketing strategy.
• His mandate includes closer ties with the Sailmaking and Action Sports business units.
• Priano plans to combine the brand's sailing credibility with Italian design and product sensibility.

North Sails Apparel has appointed Maurizio Priano as Chief Brand Officer. He takes charge of brand, product and marketing strategy at the company.

Priano will oversee brand positioning, product strategy and communication. The company wants these three areas to follow one direction and to strengthen the link between North Sails Apparel and the wider North Sails group.

Cedric George, CEO of North Sails Apparel, tied the appointment to the brand's heritage. He described the North Sails identity as strong and authentic, and said the aim is to make this identity more relevant for the future rather than reinvent it. George pointed to Priano's international experience in sport, brand and product, along with his understanding of how performance and innovation fit into a contemporary brand.

Priano's role centers on North Sails Apparel. Part of his mandate also covers stronger ties with the Sailmaking and Action Sports business units, with the goal of building more consistency and synergy inside the North Sails brand.

Priano described the company's culture as built on performance and innovation. He said North Sails belongs to the sailing world and does not simply borrow from it. He referred to founder Lowell North, who built the company around innovation, precision and performance without compromise. Priano sees an opening to pair this credibility with Italian design and an Italian sensibility for product. He wants to introduce North Sails to new ways of living the sea while respecting what defines the brand.

Lowell North founded North Sails in 1957 with the aim of making the best racing sails. The same mix of advanced technology and high-performance materials shaped the first apparel collection, launched in 1989. Today the apparel range has two lines. Performance focuses on technical garments made to withstand bad weather. Lifestyle brings the spirit of the ocean to the city. The company also works toward an "Ocean Positive" approach, using environmentally responsible materials while keeping function in balance.