American designer Zac Posen is starting his next chapter in San Francisco, accepting a dual role as Executive Vice President & Creative Director of Gap Inc and Chief Creative Officer of Old Navy. If that sounds like a long list of titles, it makes quite a lot of sense. Let’s break it down.

Recharging Gap’s Brand Portfolio

Posen has a highest-level task of recharging — or 2024-style electrifying — the company’s entire portfolio of brands — working with the new CEO Richard Dickson as the “cultural curator and creative partner”.

At Old Navy, Posen will play a more hands-on role as chief creative officer reporting to Haio Barbeito, Old Navy’s brand president and chief executive. Old Navy design, merchandising and marketing teams will all report to Posen.

In Posen, Dickson said he saw a combination of cultural savvy and technical skill that could jumpstart Gap Inc. getting it back on track.

Position Is First Creative Lead At Portfolio Level

Posen’s position is the first time Gap Inc. has hired a creative lead at the executive portfolio level which includes Athleta, Banana Republic, and Old Navy besides Gap. The new wunderkind Dickson also believes that Posen’s status as an American designer will ground him but not impinge on his creativity.

While some insiders have questioned Posen’s cultural relevance today, AOC believes that Dickson knows what he’s looking for at Gap — and has the track record to prove it. Vogue Business noted that stylist Lakyn Carlton tweeted: “As a lifelong Zac-head, I think Zac Posen at Gap is a misuse of his talents, at best, but I’m hoping to be proven wrong! So happy to have him back, regardless.” Washington Post fashion writer Rachel Tashjian described the announcement as “a genuine fashion twist”.

Posen Must Trigger and Inspire Creativity in Others

AOC adds that Posen’s struggles with the glory and demise of his own namesake business will not temper his creativity but will presumably bring a level of sobriety [and humility] to his interactions with existing Gap teams. That’s half the challenge in a position like Posen’s, and it helps that he’s joining Gap early in Dickson’s tenure.

A Creative Asset to Dickson

“Dickson is betting that Posen’s role as a long-term employee rather than collaborator will be more impactful in orchestrating a renaissance, particularly at Old Navy,” wrote BoF.

We agree that the decision by Dickson to attach his vision to someone with deep experience in the fashion industry is smart thinking.

A Creative Sparring Partner for Dickson

Dickson is looking for an intellectual creative partner to cultivate and inspire his own vision at Gap. Part of Posen’s role will be to create sparkplug synergy in Dickson and other creatives across the organization. Clearly the new leader has assessed that Zac Posen has the personality to create this kind of creative juice humming across the Gap brands. It’s a tough assignment, but a very good decision that could reap a significant harvest for customers and stockholders.

Gap’s BOD made a visionary decision in hiring Mattel exec Dickson — Mr. Barbie — to replace Sonia Syngal, who stepped down in 2022 — as issues mounted with Kanye West’s Yeezy strategy. The die is now cast in a new position and approach to creativity across the Gap Inc business. Fingers crossed for success. ~ Anne

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