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Zac Posen has landed a new gig! The designer, who has already been in the spotlight for two decades despite being just 43-years-old, is now tasked with breathing new life into America’s most staple retailers. Announced today, Posen will assume the major role of executive vice president and creative director of Gap Inc. and chief creative officer of Old Navy. The job will see him based in San Francisco, where he will ‘reinvigorate’ Gap Inc. brands and lead design, merchandising, and marketing efforts at Old Navy.
It’s not the first time Posen has been installed at a trusted and storied retailer—from 2014 to 2020 he was notably the creative director of womenswear lines at Brooks Brothers, the country’s oldest suit maker. After his exit from the brand, which had been acquired by new owners after declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Posen turned his hand to costume design for the first time, working on a movie, fittingly called The Outfit, about a Savile Row-trained tailor in 1950s Chicago. Recently, his designs can be seen in the Black and White Ball scene in Ryan Murphy’s Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans.
Zac Posen
New York-native Posen first rose to fame post-9/11 alongside a new generation of American designers. Before he graduated Central Saint Martins, his designs were already being worn by celebrities and socialites, as he gained immediate traction for his old school elegance and specialty in red carpet and occasion dressing—prompting countless references to the designer as the second coming of revered couturier Charles James. Posen also reached mass audiences as a judge on Project Runway from 2012 to 2018, through his more affordable contemporary line, and via a collection for David’s Bridal.
In late 2019, after 18 years in business and pre-empting the pandemic, Zac Posen, the label, filed for bankruptcy and announced an immediate closure; coinciding with the bankruptcy of Barney’s New York which had long been one of the brand’s biggest accounts. Zac Posen, the label, was eventually purchased by Centric Brands and now operates independently of the designer.
His appointment at Gap Inc, which includes Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta and generated $15.6 billion in net sales in 2022, comes in step with numerous changes in the executive structure. Richard Dickson joined the company as president and CEO from toymaker Mattel in the middle of the Barbia mania of summer 2023. Erica Chan and Amy Thompson were also named as chief business and strategy officer and chief people officer, respectively, last month.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Zac Posen, one of America’s most celebrated designers, at the onset of an exciting new chapter for Gap Inc.,” Dickson said. “His technical expertise and cultural clarity have consistently evolved American fashion, making him a great fit for the company as we ignite a new culture of creativity across the portfolio and reinvigorate our storied brands.”
Watch this space!
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