40+ years of apparel industry expertise.
Founded by Ed Gribbin, an industry veteran and thought leader, Gribbin Strategic was born from a singular vision: to bridge the gap between brands seeking rapid innovation and suppliers looking for sustainable, ethical growth.
We do not deal in generic corporate platitudes. We offer battle-tested strategies honed over decades on the factory floors, in the design studios, and inside the boardrooms of the world’s leading apparel brands.
Our commitment is to ethical supply chains, sustainable practices, and operational excellence from design through production.
Ed launched Gribbin Strategic in 2018 to help apparel, fashion, and retail industry brands, suppliers and manufacturers better connect, communicate and collaborate to address the tsunami of change, from evolving generational consumer tastes and habits, to advancements in technology, to the geopolitical and logistical challenges threatening supply chains.
Ed’s career started in the uniform industry, first in manufacturing and merchandising and later in sales, marketing and executive management, culminating as Senior Vice President, Hospitality at Angelica Uniform Group.
In 1999, Ed was recruited to tech startup Intellifit Corporation as President/COO. There, he co-invented the revolutionary Intellifit Scanner, the first body scanner to accurately return the dimensions of fully-clothed consumers and predict their sizes across the spectrum of available brands. Recognizing the value in the vast database of consumer body scan data he was collecting, Ed began advising brands and retailers on optimizing their size and fit strategies to improve conversions and sell-throughs, reduce returns, and enhance brand loyalty.
In 2006, Ed joined Alvanon, Inc., where he founded Alvanon’s consulting practice. In 2010, Ed was named president and under his leadership, Alvanon evolved from the premier provider of technical fit forms to the foremost authority on product development, sizing and fit strategy and execution. He managed its teams and has worked with leading brand and retail clients on six continents.
In 2020, as then-President of AAPN, Ed mobilized hundreds of companies in the industry to rapidly respond to the global pandemic, creating gowns, masks and gloves for healthcare workers across the US.
Ed has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from St. Joseph’s University and studied pattern making, design and textile construction at Philadelphia College of Textiles (now Jefferson University). Ed was a four-time member of the United States Rowing Team and a 1985 Bronze Medalist. When not on a plane, train or boat, Ed resides with his wife, Georgianne, in Merion Station, PA.
Ed serves on numerous boards and regularly presents insights and thought leadership themes to international apparel conferences. He also contributes to editorial and op-ed content in many relevant publications.
His current board memberships include:
Michele is a proven C-Suite Executive and ELT Member with over 30 years of success in the apparel industry. She has held leadership positions at national & international brands including; Elite Sportswear (Chief Merchandising & Design Officer) where she led a team of 65 to the company’s best year in history in 2022, Roc Nation (COO Milano Di Rouge) where she oversaw 3 years of consecutive double-digit growth, David’s Bridal (SVP Product) where she led a team of 45 for 10 years, growing the business by 30%, Express (Director of PD) where she won the APEX award for leadership and oversaw 6 consecutive seasons of growth, Cynthia Rowley (VP) where she grew the business by 10% and Tommy Hilfiger (Director) where she developed and launched the Women’s White Label & Men’s Blue Label collections. She has also negotiated and managed multi-million-dollar licensing deals with Vera Wang, Zac Posen and Target, launching 3 new brands.
Michele’s area of expertise is brand, product & process strategy, from inception through production. She has managed large teams across multiple disciplines including design, merchandising, product development, technical design, fabric R&D, sourcing & production in vertical, wholesale and omni-channel businesses. She consistently achieves revenue growth while also improving cross-functional collaboration, optimizing efficiency, increasing speed-to-market, and reducing costs.
Michele earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Fashion Design & Merchandising at Thomas Jefferson University and The London College of Fashion. She has also earned additional certifications from Harvard Business School and The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Michele supports several charities that advance the health and wellbeing of women, children and animals including St. Judes Hospital for Children and the ASPCA. She lives with her family in the suburbs of Philadelphia.
