In 2023, Billy May became CEO of Brooklinen, a brand known for its bedding. With experience from major retailers, he's focusing on enhancing product quality and unique fabrications to differentiate Brooklinen in the competitive market. In collaboration with Portuguese manufacturers, Brooklinen plans to relaunch their linen sheets with exclusive weaves. However, recent tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on key manufacturing countries, including potential levies on the EU and India, pose new challenges. Nevertheless, May remains calm and strategic, drawing from his previous experiences to navigate these risks.
Billy May is now deeply familiar with the intricacies of bedsheet factories. In 2023, May became CEO of Brooklinen. A retail veteran, he's spent his career in top roles at J.Crew and Abercrombie, before becoming CEO of Sur La Table.
May has been tasked with helping Brooklinen transition from a DTC startup into a nationally-known brand. He believes the way to do that is to create high quality sheets that you cannot get anywhere else.
This year, however, there's been a new wrinkle in May's plans: Trump's tariffs. The administration has already announced steep levies on Canada, Mexico, and China which go into effect today.
May isn't panicking. He's strategizing. "I've been here before," he says, referring to his tenure as CEO of Sur La Table during the last Trump presidency.
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