Gap Inc. appoints leadership for beauty and accessories expansion

Gap Inc. is making a strategic push into the beauty and accessories markets, appointing new leadership and engaging industry experts to guide the expansion.

The company announced the appointments of Deb Redmond as general manager of beauty and Michele Parsons as general manager of accessories. These new categories are seen as a way for Gap Inc. to extend the reach of its brands and deepen connections with customers.

To further accelerate its presence in these new categories, the company has also engaged John Demsey, former executive group president of Estée Lauder, and Reed Krakoff, a three-time CFDA 'Accessory Designer of the Year' recipient, as executive directors of beauty and accessories, respectively.

According to Gap Inc. president and CEO Richard Dickson, these new business segments are seen as "promising growth engines" for the company's portfolio. He stated that with the support of these "best-in-class industry leaders," Gap Inc. is "well poised to not only expand our product offerings but establish these categories as promising growth engines for our portfolio".

The company will launch its beauty initiative with Old Navy this fall, with an initial expansion of its family-friendly assortment in 150 stores, some of which will feature dedicated shop-in-shops with trained beauty associates. The Gap brand will launch its own beauty products in 2026, and the company plans to use a similar phased approach for the expansion of accessories.