Patrick Robinson Fired From Gap

Patrick Robinson has been dismissed from his job as executive vice-president of Gap Global Design for Adult and Body, effective immediately. A press release issued by Gap this morning included a statement from Glenn Murphy, chairman and CEO of Gap, Inc.:
Patrick has been a dedicated and passionate advocate for Gap brand and our customers over the last four years, and we’re grateful for his hard work, especially related to our 1969 denim...Our leaders of the new Gap Global Creative Center are taking the necessary steps to compete and win around the world.

The decision was spearheaded by Pam Wallack, the head of the Gap Global Creative Center in New York, who spent the last three months with Robinson and his team evaluating their performances. The firing doesn't come as a huge surprise, since the Gap's sales numbers in North America have been lagging behind their global sales for some time now. Some predicted that Robinson's days were numbered when Gap hired former Seven for All Mankind designer Rosella Giuliani to take over their 1969 denim line almost exactly a year ago (she remains at her position). Gap will begin searching for Robinson's replacement "immediately"; in the meantime, Jennifer Giangualano, senior vice-president of Kids and Baby Design, will help manage the adult design team.

Robinson has been at the Gap since 2007. He previously worked at Giorgio Armani, Anne Klein, Perry Ellis, and Paco Rabanne