New Venture

A group of store designers and visual merchandisers from Levi Strauss (San Francisco) and several other retail and fashion brand companies has formed Winston Retail Solutions (San Francisco), a retail and brand development consulting firm in the apparel, accessories, beauty and home industries.

Heading the new venture are president Jan Croatt, creative director Zach Augustine and Kevin McCarthy, vp, store design and project management. Croatt was formerly director of store design, development and visual merchandising for Levi Strauss; corporate vp, retail development, Kenneth Cole Productions (New York); vp, retail development, Polo Jeans Co. (New York); and president of Todd Oldham (New York).

McCarthy was director of retail development for Kenneth Cole menswear/Ecko Red and Sketchers; and senior director, store design and planning, for Tommy Hilfiger Corp. Augustine was creative director, retail development, Levi Strauss.

“Our competitive edge is that we offer the creative vision, application, and execution from multi-media through the retail environment,” said Croatt. “Winston Retail Solutions is committed to growing our client’s business by enhancing the customer’s experience with the brand, through both awareness and point of sale.”

Also part of the team — whose current clients include Nike, Kate Spade, Calvin Klein, David Yurman, Levi Strauss Signature, Liz Claiborne, The North Face, Buffalo Jeans and Marc Ecko — are Daniel Pugliese, who has served in retail development and creative services for Nautica Enterprises, Earl Jean and John Varvatos; and A. David Rivera, who was most recently manager of store design for Levi Strauss.