Columbia names new Director of Apparel Design

Columbia Sportswear Company, a global leader in active outdoor apparel, footwear and accessories, today announced that it has appointed Kathleen McNally as creative director for apparel.

McNally brings over 20 years of senior experience in apparel design with several global sportswear brands. For the past five years, she served as vice president of design at lucy activewear, where she helped build the brand from a start-up in 2000 to a leader in the women’s active lifestyle marketplace prior to the company’s acquisition by VF Corporation in September 2007.

Her career also includes 11 years as a lead apparel designer at NIKE, where she was instrumental in designing key seasonal launch categories and led design teams in the development of men’s, women’s and kids’ product lines across multiple billion-dollar sport categories. She also served as design director with J.Crew in New York, and has consulted with several other leading brands on a freelance basis. Since January 2009, she has served as a design consultant to Columbia Sportswear, successfully elevating the design of its women’s apparel line.

Founded in 1938 in Portland, Oregon, Columbia Sportswear Company is a global leader in the design, sourcing, marketing and distribution of active outdoor apparel, footwear, accessories and equipment.The company manages a portfolio of outdoor brands including Columbia Sportswear, Montrail, Mountain Hardwear, Pacific Trail, and Sorel.