H&M Veteran Bay Is Named as Head of Global Design for Gap Brand
09/17/2012| 12:46pm US/Eastern
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By Tess Stynes
Gap Inc. (>> The Gap Inc.) named a veteran of Swedish retailer H&M Hennes & Mauritz AB (HM-B.SK) as its head of global design and creative director for its Gap brand.
The retailer selected Rebekka Bay, who developed and launched the COS brand, part of Hennes & Mauritz, starting next month. Ms. Bay served as creative director of the COS brands for five years, starting in 2006. Since 2011 she has been creative director at Copenhagen-based Bruuns Bazaar.
Gap shook up its management last year, including a move that ousted its top designer, as part of a turnaround plan. Gap has also been expanding abroad, while it plans to shut more than a fifth of its Gap stores in North America over the next two years due to an overextension of its store network in the U.S. and merchandising struggles.
In April Gap named Stefan Larsson, a 15-year veteran of H&M Hennes & Mauritz to head its Old Navy business. The appointment comes after former Old Navy chief Tom Wyatt left the discount apparel retailer in February to take a job at a privately held early-childhood education company.
Gap in August reported that its fiscal second-quarter earnings rose a better-than-expected 29% as the casual-apparel retailer reported stronger sales in North America and improved margins.
Shares were down 21 cents at $34.99 amid a broad market downturn. The stock is up 89% this year.
Write to Tess Stynes at Tess.Stynes@dowjones.com
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