Gap in the News

I follow a few retailers with interest especially including Macy's.  However, the moves being made by Gap seem right to me and I'm inclined to watch them.  They are in the news today and have an excellent write-up on them that is worth your time.

First up is the announcement of a new chief of "Customer Experience":

http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/gap-names-%E2%80%98customer-experience%E2%80%99-chief-eliminates-creative-director-post

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Incoming Gap Inc. CEO Art Peck is wasting no time reshaping the apparel giant. In its latest management shakeup, the retailer named company veteran Scott Key to the new position of senior VP and general manager of customer experience for its namesake brand. It also announced that Rebekka Bay, creative director for the Gap brand, was departing the company, effective immediately.

The latest changes come on the heels of Gap’s announcement last week that it was shutting down its Piperlime brand.

I've found Scott to be a sharp, talented and engaging individual so I wish him well with this new responsibility.  Gap is in good hands here.

Next up is this analysis of Gap's issues:

http://www.retail-week.com/sectors/fashion/analysis-how-gap-failed-to-fill-a-gap-in-the-fashion-market/5071599.article?blocktitle=Latest-news-&-analysis&contentID=15016

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Gap has axed its creative director Rebekka Bay, pulled the plug on its Piperlime brand,seen sales slip and appears to be perpetually on Sale.

Remember when Gap was insanely popular? Teenagers proudly wore the brand’s logo emblazoned across their T-shirts, jumpers and caps, and those in their 20s and 30s bought into the brand’s basics range. That was in the 1990s and early noughties; the preppy US brand has failed to return to its heyday ever since.

That last one also speaks to the news of the cancellation of their Piperlime brand.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant