Activewear brand Tala has appointed Jon Wetherell creative director, according to a Thursday press release sent to Fashion Dive. He will report to Tala CEO Morgan Fowles.
Wetherell quietly moved into the position in October 2024, according to the designer’s LinkedIn page, and was mostly recently a self-employed creative director and consultant at his own design studio. Prior to that, he spent just over three years as Boden’s creative director and served as creative director at the Net-a-Porter Group for more than three years, per his LinkedIn profile. Wetherell also worked as art director at InStyle and GQ and deputy art director at Harper’s Bazaar.
“His extensive experience in industry-leading brands and publications, alongside his exceptional creative vision, will be instrumental in solidifying our position as a leader in the active-inspired fashion industry,” Fowles said in the release
Wetherell will oversee Tala’s marketing efforts, visuals and tone, the brand said in the release.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Tala and contributing to its mission to deliver high-performance designs, problem-solving solutions and elevated design in the active fashion industry,” Wetherell said in the release. “Tala’s energy and dynamic approach to consciously created products aligns perfectly with the evolving needs of today’s consumers. I look forward to leveraging my expertise to drive the brand's creative strategy and support its further growth.”
The hire comes as London-based Tala, which was founded in 2019, looks to expand its international presence.
In July, the company received an investment of 5 million pounds, or approximately $6.1 million, in a funding round led by Pembroke VCT, which contributed 3 million pounds. Existing investors Venrex and Active Partners were also part of the funding round. Pembroke was also part of an investment round for Tala in 2021, per the funding release.
Funds raised last year were earmarked to support international expansion, particularly in the U.S. market, as well to potentially establish high street retail locations “and enhance the company’s infrastructure and team capabilities,” according the release.
