Astor & Black Custom Clothiers Recruits Another Senior Industry Veteran, Alan Levine, to Join as Senior Vice President of Merchandising

SAN DIEGO, CA, May 24, 2012 (Press-News.org) Astor & Black Custom Clothiers announces the recruitment of another vital contributor to their ever-growing company: Alan Levine has joined the company as the new Senior Vice President of Merchandising. Having served most recently as the Vice President of Sales at Gladson Ltd., a leader in the luxury fabrics and accessories industry, Levine provides an unparalleled understanding of the fashion industry and brings over 30 years of experience to the Astor & Black team. Levine is one of many high-level fashion industry veterans that have recently joined Astor & Black because of their innovative business model, which takes custom clothing and a concierge level of service to the front door of busy professionals nationwide.

"Through Alan's experiences over the past 30 years, we knew that he would be a great fit with the Astor & Black business model. His proven track record in sales and merchandising within the luxury fashion space ensures that Astor & Black will continue its pace as the country's fastest-growing custom retailer. We are ecstatic and proud to have such a respected and knowledgeable person join the Astor & Black family," explains Richard Dent, Co-CEO of Astor & Black.

Alan Levine began his career at Louis Boston and began learning the specialty clothing industry from the ground up. After spending 17 years with Louis Boston, Levine began working for Bergdorf Goodman in New York, where he worked as Fashion Director. Levine developed and administered a product knowledge and sales training curriculum to certify sales consultants so they could more effectively sell throughout the store. After seven years with Bergdorf Goodman, Levine continued his career as the Vice President of Sales at Gladson Ltd., during which time he boosted sales to almost five times the volume it was prior to him joining the company. Now with Astor & Black, Levine is looking forward to the next chapter in his remarkable career.

"I am extremely thrilled and honored to join such a renowned company," said Levine. "I have worked with Astor & Black as a fabric supplier for many years and have been thoroughly impressed with their business model, service, and product quality. I am thrilled to be part of this amazing company and look forward to helping them achieve their goals."

ABOUT Astor & Black
David Schottenstein, who was inspired by the old-world craftsmanship and quality of European bespoke tailors, established Astor & Black in 2005. His mission: introduce the luxury of completely custom clothing with personalized service and style guidance at an attainable price.

Since then, Astor & Black has grown to include over 100 Professional Clothiers who meet with their clients at their homes or offices in most major cities nationwide. They offer a wide array of custom clothing options for men and women as well as a complete retail selection for ready­to-wear clothing and accessories. The company has received numerous recognitions, including being named in Inc. Magazine's 500 / 5000 list of fastest-growing companies in 2010 and 2011.

Today, Astor & Black is looking to significantly expand its business throughout the United States and Canada. To help with this expansion, the company teamed up with Castanea Partners, a $500 million private equity firm specializing in operational expertise for retail brands. Among their portfolio are such well-known companies as Donald J. Pliner, Urban Decay, and Ippolita Jewelry. With the recent recruitment of a new Co-CEO, Richard Dent (former SVP COO and Co-Leader, Victoria's Secret Pink), Astor & Black is prepared to take its unique products and personalized service to the front door of America.

For more information about Astor & Black, visit www.astorandblack.com.

Contact: Waterhouse Sports & Entertainment
Lindsey Waterhouse
lindsey@waterhousesports.com
310.936.6354