SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 6, 2001
                                                          -------------
                            Swiss Army Brands, Inc.
                            -----------------------
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

     Delaware                         0-12823                 13-2797726
     --------                         -------                 ----------
(State or Other Jurisdiction   (Commission File    (IRS Employer Identification
    of Incorporation)                 Number)                        No.)




One Research Drive, Shelton, CT                                        06484
- -------------------------------                                        -----
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                             (Zip Code)

       Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code: (203) 929-6391
                                                           --------------
                                      N/A
                                      ---
         (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)



Item 5.  Other Events

     On March 6, 2001, Swiss Army Brands,  Inc.  announced the resignation of J.
Merrick Taggart,  its president and chief executive officer,  effective April 1.
He will be succeeded as chief executive  officer by Chairman Peter W. Gilson and
as president by A. Jeffrey Turner, currently senior vice president for strategic
planning and new business development. Attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Form 8-K
is a press release with respect to such resignation and appointments.


Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits

        (c)     Exhibits
        Exhibit 99.1            Press Release, dated March 6, 2001




                                   SIGNATURE
     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



                                       SWISS ARMY BRANDS, INC.
                                       (Registrant)

Dated:  March 19, 2001                 By: /s/ Thomas M. Lupinski
                                       Name: Thomas M. Lupinski
                                       Title: Senior Vice President, Chief
                                       Financial Officer, Secretary & Treasurer.


                                                                    Exhibit 99.1



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                  CONTACT:
Tuesday, March 6, 2001                                          Donald Dwight
                                                               (603) 795-2800

SWISS ARMY BRANDS CEO TAGGART RESIGNS

     SHELTON,  CONN. - March 6 - Swiss Army Brands,  Inc.  (Nasdaq:  SABI) today
announced the  resignation  of J. Merrick  (Rick) Taggart as president and chief
executive officer,  effective April 1. He will be succeeded as CEO by Swiss Army
Brands Chairman Peter W. Gilson and as president by A. Jeffrey Turner, currently
senior vice president for strategic planning and new business development.

     Commenting on the  resignation of Mr. Taggart,  Mr. Gilson said,  "Speaking
for the Board of  Directors  and all of Rick's  associates  at the  company,  we
regret  deeply  his  decision  to  resign.  During  his five  years  here he has
broadened  the  company  far beyond our knife  origins,  developing  new product
lines,  managing two  important  acquisitions,  forging  licensing and marketing
relationships with top quality manufacturers,  and repositioning the company for
the long-term future."

     Prior to joining Swiss Army Brands,  Mr. Taggart,  who is 50, was president
of Duofold, Inc. and Pringle of Scotland,  U.S.A. Previously he was president of
O'Brien  International,  a manufacturer and marketer of water sports  equipment,
and a senior executive of The Timberland Company.

     Mr. Gilson, 61, who is also chairman of the Executive Committee, has been a
director of Swiss Army since 1994. He was also president and chief  executive of
Physician  Support  Systems,  Inc., a company  specializing in the management of
physicians' health care practices from 1991 to 1998. Previously he was president
and  chief  executive  of the  Warrington  Group,  Inc.,  a former  division  of
Timberland  that  manufactures  a broad range of safety  products.  He was chief
operating officer of The Timberland Company in the 1987-88 period and earlier in
his  career  was  president  of the  Goretex  Fabrics   Division  of  W.L.  Gore
Associates.

     Mr.  Turner,  43, joined Swiss Army as vice  president of marketing in 1997
and was  promoted to his  present  position  in  November  1998.  He came to the
company from Silhouette  Optical Limited,  where he was executive vice president
from 1995-97,  and  previously  was general  manager of the eyewear  division of
Nikon, Inc.

     Swiss Army Brands is the exclusive  United  States,  Canadian and Caribbean
marketers  of  Victorinox    Original  Swiss  Army   Knives,   multi-tools   and
SwissCards .  In addition to its line of Swiss Army Brand   Watches,  Sunglasses
and  Writing  Instruments,  the  company  also  markets  Bear  MGC   knives  and
multi-tools  as well as cutlery under the R. H.  Forschner   brand.  The company
also has a controlling interest in Xantia, SA, an international  company,  which
designs and manufactures  watches.  Under license from Victorinox A.G. of Ibach,
Switzerland,  the Company  sublicenses  the Victorinox  trademark and the famous
Elsener  Family  Crest to  selected  manufacturers  of fine  products  including
Victorinox  Travel Gear and Victorinox  Apparel. The company web site is located
at  www.swissarmy.com.  The company  is based in  Shelton,  CT and its  stock is
publicly traded (Nasdaq:SABI).