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Gap is expanding its brand to include beauty and accessories and has brought in former Tiffany & Co. chief artistic director Reed Krakoff to help it get there.
The move is an attempt to deepen the company’s connections with customers, the retailer said Wednesday. Krakoff, who will be executive director of accessories, worked at Tiffany from 2017 to 2021, until LVMH acquired the jeweler. Before that he was president and executive creative director at fashion brand Coach.
The three-time Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) “Accessory Designer of the Year” recipient will also retain his role as creative chairman of John Hardy and strategic adviser for L Catterton, a private-equity firm that owns a majority stake in the boutique jeweler.
Krakoff is one of four new hires Gap made to reach this goal. Deb Redmond will become general manager of beauty, while Michele Parsons will be general manager of accessories, and John Demsey will take on the role of executive director of beauty. The fashion brand will launch its new beauty and accessories categories at 150 stores of its Old Navy brand this fall, many of which will be shop-in-shops. The company will launch its beauty segment at Gap stores in 2026, and accessories will follow in a phased manner. The accessories offering will include handbags, jewelry and leather goods.
“Building on the renewed strength of our iconic brands, we are setting the stage for Gap to accelerate long-term value creation and connect with our customers in meaningful and culturally relevant ways,” said Gap CEO Richard Dickson. “With the support of best-in-class industry leaders and their unparalleled expertise to guide and advise our beauty and accessories businesses, we’re well-poised to not only expand our product offerings but establish these categories as promising growth engines for our portfolio.”
Image: Reed Krakoff. (Shutterstock)
