Jeremy Van Houten Steps Into a New Role as Brand Consolidators Reshape the Fashion Marketplace

The B2B sales landscape is shifting, and Charming is evolving with it.

Jeremy Van Houten, now Director of Brand Sales, is stepping into this new era with a clear vision: build scalable relationships that align with how the industry is evolving.

As major retailers evolve into consolidators, selling requires more than an appeal to an individual brand. Vendors like Charming Trim are now positioning themselves within a broader, multi-brand architecture driven by agility and intellectual property (IP), not just full operational integration.

In this model, the brand is the product — a strategic asset that can be licensed, repositioned, or reimagined depending on market demand. The brand groups that will stand out are those that fully understand the balance between maintaining a brand’s identity and optimizing growth as a consolidated unit.

This shift isn’t just something Jeremy’s been reading about in industry articles. He’s been watching it happen for years. 

“When I first started in sales, I was focused on individual brands. You built relationships, sold into a single company, and grew your territory,” he says. “Now, we’re seeing entire groups of brands operating under one umbrella, making decisions collectively. That changes the game.”

Here’s how the industry is changing — and how Jeremy is keeping Charming prepared.

The rise of brand consolidation

As brands join retail groups, purchasing decisions take place in broader contexts. Consolidators like Catalyst and VF Corporation are building portfolios of consumer-facing brands and strategically deploy them as agile IP to maximize reach, agility, and growth potential. 

Increasingly, the focus isn’t on selling through mass merchants. It’s on building owned stores and direct-to-consumer experiences that protect brand equity and deliver better margins. Even traditional retailers are leaning harder into private labels to do the same.

To reap the full benefits of the consolidator model, vendors need to provide consistent value at a cost that benefits all underneath the umbrella.

“It’s not about selling to a single brand anymore,” Jeremy explains. “It’s about understanding how that individual brand fits within the larger story — and how we can provide value to all the brands in their grouping.”

The shift presents both opportunities and challenges for suppliers. On one hand, a motivated supplier getting an “in” with a consolidator can open doors to extremely lucrative partnerships. On the other hand, competition is fierce, forcing vendors to meet a bar higher than ever before.

“Consolidators expect suppliers to be efficient, trustworthy, and competitive on pricing across the board,” Jeremy says. “If you can’t offer that, you won’t even get a seat at the table.”

How Charming is changing to adapt to a consolidated world

Jeremy’s new role marks a new phase in Charming’s approach to sales. As brand consolidators reshape the market, Jeremy is leading the charge to make sure Charming is staying ahead.

At the core of his strategy, Jeremy wants to lead the company into nurturing long-term relationships within brand groups. He knows that an in with one brand isn’t enough — the team needs to understand how each brand fits within a portfolio, and how Charming can deliver value at scale.

In addition to providing cost-effective, sustainable packaging solutions, Charming sits at the forefront of digital labeling technology. Tools like the digital product passports and QR codes allow consolidators to quickly deliver accurate information while linking together a collective  brand value — using one brand’s strength to lift another within the same portfolio.

To learn more about what Charming can do for your brand or brand group, reach out to a member of our team today. We can’t wait to get started.