Photography by Mark Von Holden/Getty Images for NYC & Company
We’re barely halfway into 2011 and the fashion world has already seen our fair share of industry shake-ups: the Galliano scandal, Carine Roitfeld’s exit at Vogue Paris, Christophe Decarnin’s mysterious mental illness/ousting at Balmain, and now Patrick Robinson has been booted from the Gap.
While most of the recent switch ups seem to make sense⎯Galliano’s anti-Semitic outburst couldn’t very well go un-reprehended and Decarnin’s health issues were clearly in need of medical attention⎯we found ourselves puzzled upon hearing the news that Robinson had been presented with a pink slip due to lackluster sales in the first quarter of this year. We’ve seen many a powerhouse figure reinstate retail dinosaurs (Bonnie Brooks at The Bay , Jenna Lyons at J.Crew), so why not Robinson at the Gap?
It’s official: Sarah Jessica Parker has been named president and chief creative officer at Halston. It’s too early to judge, but Parker seems to have her head on straight with the position. She’s not interested in undermining creative director Marios Schwab, and is frank about her newbie status: “There is a huge amount I don’t know and I am very candid about that, and I am excited to learn.” [
