Katherine Zabloudil
Co-Founder & Co-CEO
Design, Entrepreneur
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Listen to Katherine’s Podcast!
Katherine Zabloudil is Co-founder & Co-CEO of The Vertical Collective, a manufacturing firm that specializes in product design and accelerated development with brands and retailers of all kinds.
Established in 2015 with partner, Morgaine McGee, their mission is to create high end products by intersecting their expertise in fashion and business. With 17 years of experience as a leader in the apparel industry, Katherine has developed strategic alliances with key designers across platforms, international distribution networks, and global sourcing partners.
Prior to founding The Vertical Collective, Zabloudil was hired as Vice President of Design at leading retail subscription company JustFab. While there, she oversaw the vertical integration of the entire organization, bringing all design in-house. She successfully built an extensive and talented design and development team, and oversaw all divisions of footwear, handbags and apparel design. During this time, JustFab tripled its net revenue, turning a profit by Q2 of 2015.
In 2010, Zabloudil launched her own collection of luxury loungewear and accessories called C.Z. Falconer, which quickly found distribution in over 150 retail locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. While running C.Z. Falconer, Katherine continued to consult with a variety of brands including Guess, JustFab and Charles David, where she eventually acquired handbag rights from him to start her own collection.
Prior to that, Zabloudil took a job as Fashion Director for Guess Handbags. She was instrumental in reinvigorating the brand by initiating a new merchandising process that extended the reach of the global Guess customer from basic to fashion forward. The success of these initiatives was instrumental in growing Guess’s top line revenue from $200MM to $450MM over the course of her tenure. In addition, Zabloudil has held positions at top fashion brands, including Kate Spade, Coach and Ralph Lauren.
She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband and two children, and is active in travel, art curation, philanthropy, and sports. Zabloudil attended the University of San Francisco.
Katherine Zabloudil is also featured on our premiere Features Page, and you can read her podcast interview transcript.
