Let me begin by stating that I am very surprised by Tracy Gardner's departure. I am sure it was an extremely difficult decision for Tracey to make. Choosing to spend time with family is an admirable move. I just hope Ms. Gardner came to that decision by herself and for herself (and was not pushed out.)Tracy Gardner, J.Crew President of Retail and Direct, Resigns; Jenna Lyons Promoted to President & Executive Creative Director, J.Crew Group, Inc.
July 13, 2010
J.Crew Group, Inc. (NYSE: JCG) today announced that Tracy Gardner, President of the Retail and Direct channels, has said she will resign from the Company effective September 13, 2010.
Jenna Lyons, 42, currently Executive Creative Director, will be promoted to President and Executive Creative Director, J.Crew Group, Inc. the Company announced.
Millard Drexler, Chairman and CEO of J.Crew, stated, "I am sorry about Tracy's decision to leave J.Crew but I respect and understand her wish to spend more time with her children. Tracy and I have worked together for almost 20 years and I will miss her as a great merchant, leader and business partner." Drexler continued, "The team at J.Crew has considerable depth, and I am pleased to announce Jenna's promotion along with additional important organizational changes. I am also confident in our ability to achieve a seamless transition."
"I am so appreciative of the confidence Mickey and the Board of Directors have in me and am excited to continue to grow J.Crew Group in a creative and innovative way," said Ms. Lyons."At this point in my life, it is important for me to spend more time with my family. I am so proud of all that J.Crew and the team continues to accomplish and I am grateful that this success has allowed me the opportunity to make this difficult choice," said Ms. Gardner.
In connection with Ms. Gardner's departure, members of J.Crew's leadership team will assume her responsibilities. Libby Wadle will now become Executive Vice President of Retail and Factory and continue to report directly to Mr. Drexler. Trish Donnelly, Executive Vice President of the Direct Channel and Laura Willensky, Senior Vice President of the Madewell Retail Channel will now both report into Mr. Drexler as well. The merchandise production responsibilities will now fall under the Chief Administrative Officer/CFO, James Scully.
As for Jenna Lyons new promotion... I am sure she will do fine. She is J.Crew's rock star, so it seems like the obvious choice for the spot. J.Crew's CEO Mickey Drexler really has put a lot of faith in her— she better deliver! ;)
What are your thoughts on Tracy Gardner's resignation? Were you surprised by the move or did you see it coming? Are you excited that Jenna Lyons will be stepping in?
As I told my ps on Saturday, I am tired of Jenna. :) I can only hope that this is a good move for JC. Good luck to Tracey.
ReplyDeleteThat IS shocking!!! I hope it really was her decision. I'm tired of Jenna too. She's great, I just feel like she's been overexposed to us.
ReplyDeleteI am NOT excited about Jenna's promotion. This can only mean bad things for J.Crew in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI am bit over Jenna too. I like her (well, I really don't know her)...and J.Crew, but we will see...not a good move in my opinion!
ReplyDeleteHmmm oftentimes when people say they want to spend more time with their families its true...other times its because they've been pushed out of their positions and pressured to resign and are asked to say this. I don't want to make negative speculations here but I've seen similar things happen in the work place.
ReplyDeleteme, too, tired of Jenna. Recently returned from France (mainly Paris) (we travel a lot, yes, lucky us), where ONLY American tourists wear the striped shirts, where noone wears sequins during the day, where noone has worn socks with heels since rationing ended in 1945... can only wonder where Jenna's stereotyped vision of world fashion will lead us next. And I'm still trying to figure out the inconsistencies quoted in recent posts: Jenna doesn't want to be elitist, so she wants to bring fashion to those who don't play polo or splash in the North Atlantic, so she has opened stores in Aspen and Malibu, where the smallest house is priced in 10 figures. There are wonderful people working for JCrew, often under-appreciated, but I question the leadership.
ReplyDeletejust wondering: will the transition be effortless?
ReplyDeletewellfedfred: I was wondering the same thing after reading that NYT article the other day. She claims that she's dressing the European in the US -- but from what I've read of European fashion (and seen from Euro-based retailers) -- they *don't* wear ruffles ALL. OVER. EVERYTHING. They also don't embellish the bejeezus out of everything. What they do do over there, is appreciate quality over quantity. Buying something that costs a bit more because they know it will last. J.Crew's t-shirts (and cashmere, for that matter) are lucky to last a season of wear, if that! European fashion (to me) means clean, classic, SIMPLE, classic - did I mention classic? And well-fitting, above all else. I still love J.Crew (and let's just say 99% of my closet is still adorned with the J.Crew tag), but seriously. Seriously! Have you SEEN the fall collection? I think it's possible to be fashion forward and do quality, fit and style. European-style. We shall see, we shall see....
ReplyDeleteI was so excited. I was on the phone, and misread the headline as "Tracey's In, Jenna's Out". Whoops. Darn.
ReplyDeleteAnd the echo GlobeTrotter, these things are rarely, if ever, by choice. When executives want to spend "more tiem with family" it's PR speak for, "you are being kindly dismissed."
To quote RatsOnParade "Seriously! Have you SEEN the fall collection?" —This may very well be the REAL reason for the SHAKE-UP.
ReplyDeleteThe "...to spend more time with my children/family" line is what politicians and executives give as an excuse when they have in fact been pushed/pressured or reached an impasse! C'mon when JC is having a boom is hardly the time to leave.
But I could be wrong. Just my humble opinion.
"leaving to spend time with family indeed". the other oft used phrase when being pushed out is "off to pursue more personal interests". NOT excited about Jenna's ascension. like ratsonparade says, europeans favour classics over trends, just waltz over to the sartorialist's blog and check out what the REAL european fashionistas are wearing.
ReplyDeleteI wish everyone would just stop buying all the ratty tees and pilly sweaters to send the management a message. If I wanted disposable fashion I'd shop at F21, Zara etc.
I'm surprised Jenna is promoted to Tracy's position when she has to leave the company for her family.
ReplyDeleteIs Jenna really capable of being the President of Retail & Direct channels? Does she really have the skills to do lead this company? I'm not sure of Tracy's credentials, but don't you have to have some MBA or degree in business to be in that position?
I'm worried about the future of JCrew because I feel like all Mickey is pushing is branding "Jenna" and producing low quality items.
I wonder who's going to take Jenna's Executive Creative Director position?
Love the Mickey/Jenna team. They have converted me to the fan I am. I wish them luck.
ReplyDeleteHaving been there I hope the reason for Tracey's departure is not a health issue. If so, sending good energy her way.
Well! That is news! I'm with Globetrotter & the rest ... in all the different places I've worked, when someone says they're leaving a longtime position to spend more time with their family, it means they got the boot. I'd respect companies more if they'd just be forthright about the reasoning.
ReplyDeleteEither way, it will be interesting to see how things start trending once this takes effect. DUN DUN DUNNNNNN :-D
My first thought: "Should I sell my stock ?"
ReplyDeleteI'm excited to see Jenna takeover. I really love the direction she has taken JCrew in. Also, I disagree - based on my own experience, at least - with the claims that europeans don't dress like this. I spend a lot of time in London and Copenhagen, and neither place can be described as "classic." A lot of what is coming out for fall from JC looks like what I've seen in the past fall/autumns there and, looking at the fall collections, will fit in seamlessly with what's likely to hit the high streets over there. Also, a lot of friends CANNOT wait for JCrew to be available to ship over - not just via netaporter.
ReplyDeleteJust my personal experience, though!
OH NO!!! I don't consider this to be good news AT ALL! I really hope Mickey knows what he's doing.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Jenna is overexposed to JCAs, at least from where I sit. I receive emails about other retail designers, but I can't remember their names. I probably only know Jenna's name from seeing it here a ton of times. That's not a bad thing as this is a J Crew fan blog, just saying. If I weren't here I probably wouldn't know of her. I *do* know of those ratty tat tatty tees weeping on the sales racks. *lol* Hopefully the new designer will swing 180 and nix that mess.
ReplyDeleteAnother female president of a corporation. I realize she's already replacing one, but I'll take it.
I'm pretty naive in corporate retail structure but what exactly was Jenna responsible for in her last position "Executive Creative Director" (of all of Jcrew?)
ReplyDeleteAlso, Tracy Gardner was "President of the Retail and Direct channels", and now Jenna is "President and Executive Creative Director" so she is going to head both divisions?
Rae, I did the same thing! Wishful thinking, I guess....
ReplyDeleteNothing original to add. I will echo others' concern for Tracey. Hope she isn't being pushed out. Either way, best wishes to her in the future.
Not excited about the expansion of Jenna's influence. BUT, perhaps the responsibilities of both positions will prove a bit much for Jenna to handle alone. If she has to cede some of the creative direction, it could be an opportunity to regress to the recent past. That would be an improvement, IMO.
wellfedfred, you crack me up!!
I think I'm in love with Wellfedfred.
ReplyDeleteAmanda,
ReplyDeleteI agree. Spend a lot of time in England and I see "nice" but fairly inexpensive (cheap) clothes on the high street that the majority of the population buy and can afford....sequin tank tops and lots of cute ruffles to be had. The short skirts that are now in style here have been selling over there since spring 2007....
As far as Tracey's out and Jenna's in I only hope the clothes get better as I have not been a fan of the majority of pieces in the past few years when I used to buy much more and just about have a heart attack each roll out....I got the little black fall preview book and did not like one single piece:(
There can be any number of reasons why people take leave of their job, permanently or temporarily, to spend more time with family. I did it while my husband battled cancer. A colleague of mine took time for his daughter whose CF had overtaken her and she was dying. Another colleague decided to dedicate time to their children while the other spouse maintained a hectic travel schedule for an incredibly lucrative job. To assume someone is pushed out by the other may be succumbing to a desire for drama. It could be for Tracey and her family's best. I'm sure someone of Tracey's talent and experience could land elsewhere in a heartbeat if she so desired.
ReplyDeleteAs for Jenna, it's difficult to determine how responsible she is for the latest successes and failures as we see them. I like the J.Crew that my mom wore, but I like my J.Crew too. Jenna must be doing something right because corporate executives and directors of the board are not idiots. J.Crew has performed well in the dismal retail climate so something is obviously working.
I am cimbing the corporate ladder myself and am always happy to see women succeed professionally. I'm also happy to see women choose what is important to them and act on it without unwarranted scrutiny, whatever the choice. If you want to be with your family, I fully support that and it can be equally, if not more rewarding than a career. After all, no one lies on their death bed and thinks, "I should have spent more time at the office."
UGH! My wallet is happy though...I am not spending much at JC right now. I'm sooo tired of ruffles, overpriced embellished tee shirts, and expensive thin sweaters that don't last a month! The fall collection(the homeless grandma collection) is hideous. Best of luck to Tracy in her future endeavours and to J. Crew. Hopefully they can pull their head out of their overly ruffled and embellished a**!
ReplyDeleteWow, this is big news. I became a JC addict under Mickey and Jenna in the 2005-08 era because I felt like their product was a seamless, wraparound fit for my lifestyle and wardrobe needs--the right balance of classic and twist, the right quality for the price, the right overall price point. Again, everything from bikinis to business suits.
ReplyDeleteI won't say that Jenna doesn't understand the "J.Crew consumer," because I'm not sure who that person is supposed to be these days, but I will say that based on the last 18 months of JC selections she doesn't understand ME and my wardrobe needs.
@Wellfedfred, LOL at GTFAS. I'm stealing that, even though I don't actually have one myself!
I couldn't have said it better than "xoxo". None of us can really know the reasons why people go or grow from an organization. I have spent many years climbing the corporate ladder as well, continue to and am hugely supportive of women in my life both personally and professionally.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to Jenna and J. Crew...I will hope to see many great things to come.
The last place I was where women wore short sheer socks with skirts & flat shoes was Beijing, and the women were old. Very old.
ReplyDeleteWas in Paris myself a few months back and I didn't see the proverbial American image of a Parisian woman, either. As for the whole "this is how they dress in Europe" concept, it's a bit naive given Europe is a mass of very old, very culturally established countries.
ITA "spend time with family" raises red flags, because it can easily mean the person was given the chance to resign before being fired.
While J.crew has been doing well, it wouldn't surprise me if the two positions get combined to some degree - easy way to save a few bucks. It's being done all over corporate America these days.
Bottom line for me: Keep making smashing pencil skirts and chic jackets, j.crew, and I don't care if you promote Jenna Lyons to Dear Leader of J.Crew. But please go easy on the disposable art tees, and up the quality of the cashmere.
RE: quality
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine and I recently visited our local JCrew store (I insisted) and she bought some tees. Needless to say, they practically started falling apart after she washed them ONCE. She mentioned it to me and I didn't have the heart to tell her that the same thing happens to JCrew merchandise even when you wash it by hand...
RE: Jenna
wellfedfred's comment was hillarious! I thought that Jenna's perspective was refreshing at first (bf style pants mixed with girly ruffles and pearls here and there etc.) but now it's so repetitive, tiring and all over their catalogs every single month...
On a side note, it seems that SOME JCrew items sold out (relatively) fast on UK netaporter.com:
http://www.net-a-porter.com/Shop/Designers/JCrew/All
My 2 cents is that I think it is a move to make sure Jenna stays- she is their golden girl and they don't want her going anywhere else. Sorry to be cynical, but I have a hard time believing that Tracey just woke up and said I am done with this place! rarely happens at her level...
ReplyDeleteTo me, it looks like Mickey is putting Jenna in the bullseye. If things don't go well, since she has both titles of President and Chief Creative Director, it might be easier to rest the blame on her thin shoulders.
ReplyDeleteTeam Jenna!
ReplyDeleteEveryone is focusing on art tees, but I think there has been a lot more going on than tees in the past couple of years. Granted, there have been a lot, but there have also been amazing shoes sans frilly bows, great skinny pants and, need we forget? zippers! Love them or hate them, there have been nearly as many zippers as ruffles. The design hasn't been quite as one-dimensional as some of you seem to think.
Also - I'd like to add to the list Berlin, a classic European city if ever there was one, where people dress kinda cuckoo. Just saying. European style means as many different things as American style. It's not all prep, and it's not all reflective of early era J.Crew.
I love this blog, The Sartorialist. Check it out to see what the world is wearing. http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/
Tracy's been in the business a long time and has probably made more than enough to retire. I'd like to think she made the decision herself!
People leave their jobs for many reasons. I too left a cushy executive position with the reason of spending time with my family. It was true in a way, while I figured out what I wanted to do next. However, I did not like where my company was heading and it felt better to leave while I was ahead. I'm just guessing here but maybe, Tracey is not liking how Jcrew is headed & she's jumping ship? I'm surprised with Jenna's promotion because because she's personable but not sharp, creative but not operational, artistic but not articulate. I'm not a happy Jcrew shareholder right now ....
ReplyDeleteTracey imo did not receive enough credit, and Jenna is overexposed, I would leave too.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Em and FFM this does not bode well for J Crew.
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ReplyDeleteMy feelings are mixed. I am happy to see a woman succeed at this high level, but I have been dismayed with the quality of jcrew clothing over the last couple of years, and its progression towards overt trendiness and the disposable.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they will go the way of ralph lauren and create different lines for different styles and price points (beyond the JC Collection).
My congrats to Jenna, as well as to J.Crew. I love that this is a homegrown success story -- she started as a designer in the company and worked her way up, correct? I have met Ms. Lyons twice and found her to be genuinely nice and well-spoken both times. I can't help but be excited for her!
ReplyDeleteI'm all for balance of work and family in life, so taking on 2 executive level positions does not sound healthy in any way. Good luck with that Jenna. I actually feel sorry for her and her family in a way.
ReplyDelete