Ms. Brenda French – Chief Executive Officer
Entrepreneur Brenda French is the founder and former CEO of Colorknits Inc., dba French Rags™, a 
fashion design company that specialized in “MASS CUSTOMIZED KNITWEAR”. A 36-year fashion industry veteran, Brenda headed the multi-million dollar company and led the fashion industry in the new concept of merchandising directly to the customer.
A native of England, Brenda’s career in fashion began in New York in 1962, where she worked as a sportswear editor for the Tobe Report. Pursuing her interest in fashion design, she soon made a career move and held various positions in designing and merchandising for New York’s Majestic Sportswear, Weber Blouse, Hukapoo Sportswear New York, and Patty Woodward Los Angeles.
In 1978, Brenda found herself a single parent and sole provider for her young son. She realized she wanted to take destiny into her own hands, and trusting her creative design talents, instinct and style, French Rags™ was born with a $500 investment right in Brenda’s home. Having been the knitwear designer for Hukapoo Sportswear and Patty Woodard, Brenda launched her first product, knit rayon scarves. The French Rags™ scarves were soon noticed, and within the first year the company produced $165,000.00 in sales, selling to major department and specialty stores nationwide, including Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Robinson’s and Ann Taylor.
The very next year, Brenda was able to open her own factory in Los Angeles and introduced the first French Rags™ sweater- a sweatshirt. Over the next few years, French Rags™ evolved into a coordinated line of knitted sportswear and earned a loyal customer following that pushed sales to the $5 million mark. By the time sales reached $8 million, Brenda’s entrepreneurial fire inside was burning again, and she had the idea of selling her collection directly to consumers and offering “MASS CUSTOMIZATION” of her knits.
French Rags™ revolutionized the fashion industry by offering “mass customized” knitwear and led the industry in direct-to-consumer merchandising by selling the designer collection through independent wardrobe consultants, via trunk shows throughout the country.
In mid-2005, the skyrocketing cost of manufacturing the French Rags™ product line in Los Angeles caused Colorknits to make the difficult but necessary decision to cease operations and re-tool the business to take advantage of outsourced manufacturing in the U.S. and abroad.
A recipient of the prestigious Women of Achievement Award in design and manufacturing, sponsored by the Century City Chamber of Commerce in Los Angeles and a recipient of the City of Hope-Spirit of Life Award, Brenda has taken a leadership role in the fashion industry and is an active member with several organizations such as the National Association of Female Executives, Women’s Business Council of the Century City Chamber of Commerce, The Trusteeship, the International Women’s Forum, and the British-American Business Council. Brenda is also deeply involved with the Georgia O’Keefe Museum Women of Distinction Committee, the American Indian College Fund and is a Board Member of Women Against Gun Violence.
Mr. Paul Wallend – President and Chief Operating Officer
Mr. Wallend started his apparel career shortly after graduating from S.U.N.Y. Stony Brook in
1981, joining the fledgling Perry Ellis™ division of Manhattan Industries as an Operations trainee. Over the next five years, as the division grew, so did Mr. Wallend’s’ responsibilities. At the time of his departure, in late 1985, he was Operations Manager for all six divisions with sales of over $120 million overseeing a variety of administrative and operational functions.
After leaving the Perry Ellis™ organization, he moved to Southern California to join a $17 million maker of missy knitwear, Nancy Heller™, as their first Operations Manager. This relationship lasted almost five years and saw the Company almost double in size before the founder decided to retire and close the business in late 1991. In the year that followed, Mr. Wallend worked briefly for an ailing junior sportswear firm and a young and rapidly growing urban sportswear manufacturer.
In late 1992, he accepted a post as VP Operations for a $120 million junior dress company, Chorus Line Corporation. This new position was the most challenging of his career with responsibility for the development and daily management of business operations including human resources, customer/sales services, information systems, distribution, inventory control, facilities and corporate administration. Over the next 3½ years, Mr. Wallend was instrumental in supporting growth initiatives that took the Company to well over $230 million in sales. During that time, he was responsible for over 250 people and capital budgets in excess of $10 million.
In mid-1996, Mr. Wallend left the apparel industry, becoming Executive VP for a $4 million commercial printing company with responsibility for general operations and sales in the Company’s retail print and ERP software businesses. During the course of the almost 3½ years he was associated with this organization, he was instrumental in rejuvenating sales by almost 50% until the acquisition of the firm in late 1999.
In October 1999, Mr. Wallend returned to the apparel business becoming Sr. VP Operations responsible for MIS, Production Administration, Distribution, and Sales Services at Avid Sportswear, a new licensee of the Dockers Golf™ brand. During the next eighteen months, he and his associates grew the business from $4 million to almost $20 million. Due to under-capitalization, further growth was inhibited and the licensor transferred the license in mid-2001 causing the Company to cease operations.
Since his departure from Avid, Mr. Wallend had held two senior business development posts with firms specializing in technologies for the sewn products industry.
Mr. Wallend joins BFI as its President and Chief Operating Officer responsible for Accounting/Administration, Information Systems, Production Administration, Purchasing/Vendor Relations, Distribution/Logistics, Sales Administration and Sales Services. He will also sit on the Company Board of Advisors.
