The demise of Old Navy?

[Suburban Snob]

AOL listed Old Navy as a brand that may disappear in 2008.

Old Navy

24/7 Wall St.'s Take on Old Navy
Old Navy is one of Gap's three brands and it is the one that is pulling down overall sales at the big clothing company. Old Navy has a little over one thousand outlets. Maintaining the costs of separate buying, marketing, and management costs just isn't worth it. Soon, Old Navy locations may just become Gap stores.

Source: AOL

 

[~LovelyDay~]

oh wow
hmm.. i haven't really bought muxh from old navy but i wouldn't mind having gap outlet everywhere.

 

[Meg]

I really doubt that would happen to be honest. I think Gap would do a lot trying to revive old navy (which they are in the process of doing right now) before doing anything with them. And it would difficult to just change them over into Gap. I mean some cities can't sustain more than a couple Gap's and from the Old Navy's I've been into, they are always larger than the Gap so space would be too big. There are a lot of other issues that make me think this would not come to fruition....

 

[smartarse]

in my opinion it's Gap that's losing it's market share over to Old Navy.
so they're saying they're going to consolidate the two?
leaving a seperate section for budget and high priced?
that would take an expansion of space.
interesting indeed ...

 

[Suburban Snob]

^^

I agree --- I was honestly shocked to read it to be honest, even the possibility. It's going to be really interesting to see what happens.

I think Gap is still trying to recover their losses after Forth & Towne failed so quickly.

 

[VainJane]

I wouldn't surprised if Old Navy sank--- their clothes are such crap. Especially now that stores like Hollister and Abercrombie are the 'it' thing these days with the teeny-boppers.

Honestly, I'm 22 and I went into a Hollister the other day--I felt like I was 40! The store was full of thirteen year-olds

 

[cuppycakes]

This shocks me, i was under the impression that old navy was doing better than gap

 

[wrngco]

The whole US Economy is taking a BAD turn and US based companies will follow
NOT Ero based companies though

 

[izzie stevens]

it's a rumor. old navy's designer is new, and trust me, the new designs are indeed helping their sales. old navy won't become gap inc.'s new forth & towne. also...

Visionary Fashion Designer Will Drive Merchandise Creative Direction for Old Navy
SAN FRANCISCO – Sept. 21, 2007 -- Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) announced today that Todd Oldham will team with Old Navy to serve as the brand’s design creative director, effective Oct. 1. Mr. Oldham will divide his time between New York City and San Francisco and play a key role in developing and implementing the merchandise creative direction at Old Navy.

Todd plans to also develop and launch a line of merchandise under the Todd Oldham name to be sold exclusively at Old Navy stores in the future.

“Todd’s successful career in fashion and design has distinguished him as an innovative creative thinker who also understands how to appeal to a broad audience,” said Dawn Robertson, president, Old Navy. “He understands and appreciates Old Navy’s new positioning and fashion potential and will help elevate and evolve Old Navy.”

“Todd is a great fit for Old Navy, and this is a huge win for both of us. His appointment will help us strengthen our focus on creativity and innovation to inspire and excite our customers. Todd will partner with our EVP Product, Doug Howe, and the creative team to deliver a fashion viewpoint at value that will set Old Navy apart from its competitors,” said Robertson.

"I'm thrilled to be working with the Old Navy team and am so looking forward to help guide the creative direction of such an esteemed brand that means so much to literally millions of customers each week,” said Mr. Oldham. “It is very exciting for me to step back into fashion with such a far reaching and forward leaning company as Old Navy."

Todd will begin his engagement with Old Navy on Oct. 1.

About Todd Oldham
Todd is a well-known designer whose career spans more than 20 years. Distinguished as an innovator of accessible design, Todd Oldham is the founder of Todd Oldham Studio, a multifaceted, full-service design studio.

Originally a New York fashion designer, and the host of "Todd Time" on MTV's House of Style, Todd's career has evolved to include all areas of design, from interior design, film and photography, to furniture, graphic art, and a collection of floral designs for FTD.com. Todd is the author of Hand Made Modern, and has hosted HGTV's "Hand Made Modern" series of specials. In 2002 and 2003 Todd designed his own line of dorm room furnishings for Target.

Todd makes regular appearances on NBC's Today Show and is currently the host of Top Design, Bravo's newest reality competition series spotlighting interior design. He designed The Hotel in South Beach as well as The Fairfax Hotel, to open in South Beach in 2008. Other projects include a 400 page monograph on the life's work of artist Charley Harper published by AMMO BOOKS.

SAN FRANCISCO – February 19, 2008 – Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) today announced Dawn Robertson, 52, president of its Old Navy brand, will leave the company, effective immediately. Tom Wyatt, president of Gap Inc.’s Outlet division, will become acting president of Old Navy while a search is conducted for a permanent replacement.

“I appreciate Dawn’s hard work over the past 16 months and wish her all the best,” said Glenn Murphy, chairman and chief executive officer of Gap Inc. “We’re fortunate to have someone of Tom Wyatt’s caliber and experience, as both a president of our Outlet division and a former retail CEO, to guide Old Navy during this transition.”

The mutual decision was made by the company and Ms. Robertson.

Wyatt, 52, joined the company in 2006 as a senior executive of Gap brand and took on responsibility for the company’s successful Outlet division more than a year ago. Mr. Wyatt has more than 30 years of experience in the retail business, including leading a chain of department stores in the Saks family of companies and serving as President and CEO of the Cutter & Buck clothing company.

“Old Navy has a team of talented and creative leaders who will work closely with Tom to ensure that the brand continues to execute on its strategic priorities. Working together, I’m confident we can successfully move forward to evolve the brand and improve our results,” Murphy added.

credit to: gapinc.com

 

[Couture_Tribe]

I wish it could be the othe rway around. I like old navy better than the gap to be honest. Oh well, better stock up some tank tops next week.

 

[Suburban Snob]

Thanks for posting, Izzie --- glad to hear.

 

[izzie stevens]

Thanks for posting, Izzie --- glad to hear.

you're welcome!

 

[writergal28]

Old Navy's floor space is much too big to become a GAP. In any case, Old Navy tends to be close to GAP stores.

 

[KhaoticKharma]

From both a creative and business standpoint, I wouldn't be suprised if Old Navy took a brand new approach and targeting a brand new market. As VainJane said, they aren't selling to teenage girls; chances are they're selling to working twenty somethings, and I think the new commercials and products reflect that. But they certainly aren't going anywhere in the near future.

 

[izzie stevens]

From both a creative and business standpoint, I wouldn't be suprised if Old Navy took a brand new approach and targeting a brand new market. As VainJane said, they aren't selling to teenage girls; chances are they're selling to working twenty somethings, and I think the new commercials and products reflect that. But they certainly aren't going anywhere in the near future.

banana republic targets the mid-twenty through late-thirty white collar workers. gap targets any and every age, they are meant to be an all family, all age brand. a one stop shop for good quality adults, kids, babies, maternity, and intimate wear. but gap in itself is meant to target mid-twenty through late-thirty individuals who shop at stores such as hollister, and american eagle. (since the designer has changed, though, i think the designs have become more conservative and more banana republic-like, so i don't really feel as if the gap designs are reflecting their target at all, although that is what the brand lists as their biggest competitors.) while old navy is, just as gap, meant to target everyone because they do maybe so many different things... from clothes for the average joe and jane, to maternity, to plus size, and etc., etc.!

banana republic, old navy, and gap isn't meant to target different age groups, as opposed to different incomes. banana republic being the highest, gap being in between, and old navy being the lowest. is any gap inc. company closes down, which none probably will although many outlets have begun to close and have replaced regular stores, i feel that it will be piperlime.

 

[Scott]

eh. i could care less really. it wouldn't be the end of the world. it's so homogenising and uncomfortable for me to be in those places. really if i'm not shopping second-hand,i usually find things at target. it's a funny thing,target is basically at wal-mart level yet has a higher standard aesthetically than anything gap corp. produces.

 

[izzie stevens]

eh. i could care less really. it wouldn't be the end of the world. it's so homogenising and uncomfortable for me to be in those places. really if i'm not shopping second-hand,i usually find things at target. it's a funny thing,target is basically at wal-mart level yet has a higher standard aesthetically than anything gap corp. produces.

you think that target is more aesthetically pleasing than banana republic or gap?

 

[Scott]

i do. particularly the designer ranges. but gap and all that....they're really boring and samey to me.

 

[izzie stevens]

i do. particularly the designer ranges. but gap and all that....they're really boring and samey to me.

gap is all about your basics, so i suppose it's good that they seem like they tend to design the same things over and over again, but simply add something different to their pieces, (be it the seams, buttons, length, anything simple like that.) personally, though, i'll take gap's quality and basics over target's quality any day of the week. maybe i am just partially biased because i've never really set foot in a target with the intention to buy clothing, (i've always thought of them as having walmart, sears, charlotte russe, new york & company quality which i think is horrible. ) i've never really bothered to give a target a chance. but then again, i don't think i will either. i don't really enjoy what i've seen that's been designed for target by jovovich-hawk or zac posen.

 

[KhaoticKharma]

i do. particularly the designer ranges. but gap and all that....they're really boring and samey to me.

I agree. Target is much more fashion foward and progressive than nearly every mall store out there, and to top it off it's cheaper. Why would I spend twenty bucks for lipgloss at Banana Republic when I could get a skirt at Target for the same price?