Gauger’s appointment marks a return to having a woman CEO at the helm of a brand known for its “Power of She” slogan and being a label for women and girls and empowering them in the world of sports. “Maggie blends proven business transformation capabilities, deep consumer centricity, product fluency, and a heartfelt commitment to empowering women and girls,” said Gap Inc CEO Richard Dickson, who has been leading a company wide turnaround for two years now, in a statement.
After stanching the bleeding in 2024, Athleta’s declines resumed this year. The 8% drop in comparable sales in the first quarter reported in May at Athleta may well have sealed Blakeslee’s fate. “Work is being done to reset the brand and improve product and marketing which will take time,” Gap Inc said tersely in its earnings report in May.
So it will be up to Gauger, whose last job at Nike was leading its North America women’s business, to address slow innovation, to renew a focus on the performance aspect of its clothing that had become more focused on chasing fashion trends, alienating long time loyalists in the process, and make clearer to consumers how Athleta is different in a very crowded segment in North American where even Lululemon has seen growth cool.
At Nike, Gauger focused on generating growth and customer loyalty for Nike’s active and athleisure products. “I’m energized to bring my experience working at the intersection of sport, style and culture to Athleta, a brand with strong purpose and still so much untapped potential,” said Maggie Gauger.
Since Dickson’s arrival, Gap’s namesake brand and Old Navy have seen their fortunes improve, helped by a quicker cadence of innovation and a bigger effort to connect the brands to the broader culture. So it’s not surprising that Dickson would want someone of his choosing to do the same for the Athleta brand.
