By Linda Wheeler 
 
 
 
 

ohn Kourakos thinks of himself as a quarterback. That’s not because he regularly faces a bunch of burly guys trying to run him over, but because he sees himself as a leader surrounded by a great team. 

To Kourakos, who received his B.S. in business in 1971, the fast-paced apparel industry offers unlimited opportunties for creativity. “What I love about it is that it’s so entrepreneurial,” says the 48-year-old president of Tommy Jeans, the new division of Tommy Hilfiger that in two years has become the top men’s designer jeans label in the country with wholesale sales in excess of $200 million. “Unlike the steel industry or the stock market, where trends evolve over a period of years, the clothing industry is unstructured and malleable—always offering opportunities to influence the direction it will take next.” 

Kourakos would know. He’s been a part of the industry since 1971, when he took his first job as an assistant merchandiser with the Boy’s Division of Phillips Van Heusen Corp. “It’s an energetic industry, almost like entertainment,” he says. “It’s made up of young, self-motivated, quick thinkers. The average age of the design staff at Tommy Jeans is about 26, which means they have a lot of energy and a lot of creativity. It’s also an industry where everybody cares about what they wear 
and how they look, and they’re sensitive to how the public wants to look.” 

According to Kourakos, one of Tommy Jeans’ newest marketing projects involves a partnership with the entertainment industry. The company has negotiated a deal to outfit the stars of Miramax Films’ planned sequel to Scream and Scream II in Tommy Jeans and use the stars in its fall ad campaign. 
 
Kourakos “fell” into his first job in the clothing industry, landing a position with Van Heusen through an agency. But that’s the last time he’s “fallen” into anything, 
and his drive, knowledge, and ability to motivate people have taken him to the top. As assistant merchandising manager at Van Heusen, Kourakos began his education in the clothing industry, learning about fabric choice, merchandising, production cuts, 
and samples. He took advantage of every opportunity that came his way. In 1974, he joined Salant and Salant and was soon promoted to merchandising manager. In 1980, he became vice president of sales for Ralph Lauren Womenswear, and in 1984 he was made executive vice president of merchandising for Calvin Klein Menswear. From 1987 to 1994, he was president of the underwear, sportswear, and jeans divisions of Calvin Klein Industries, and in 1994 he became president of Calvin Klein Men’s and Women’s Underwear and Calvin Klein Men’s Accessories, all divisions of Warnaco Industries. 

Kourakos was born in Manhattan and grew up in the Bronx. His mother was a school aide and his father owned a shoe-repair shop. After two years at Rockland Community College, he transferred to the University at Albany in 1969. He paid 
for his tuition by working the midnight shift as an inhalation therapist at Albany Medical Center. “Sometimes it was tough staying awake in class after working all night, and it was definitely tough finding time to get assignments done. But I appreciated my education because I had to sacrifice to get it,” he said.