Lands’ End CEO Steps Down

Federica Marchionni is out at Lands’ End. The CEO announced her resignation effective immediately from the outdoor apparel company yesterday (Sept. 26) afternoon. She will be succeeded in the short term by Joseph Boitano and James Gooch as co-interim CEOs. They will be starting as immediately as she left.

Marchionni joined Lands’ End in 2015 after after a long career at Dolce & Gabbana’s USA unit. She was the firm’s first CEO since Edward Huber separated from from Sears Holdings Corp. in 2014.

Her time at the helm was relatively short. Marchionni was CEO for less than two years. She was brought into the firm from the world of luxury fashion in an attempt to inject some sophisticated style into the brand — in an attempt to reach a younger, more eCommerce-oriented audience.

Innovations introduced included a slimmed-down silhouette for the clothes and a new executive team featuring former players from more fashion-forward brands, such as Saks, J.Crew and Bonobos, to help with design and the supply chain. But Lands’ End customers weren’t looking for quite so quick a jump to high fashion, and the firm has logged big losses this year.

Marchionni also spearheaded a move to begin selling Lands’ End clothes on Amazon — in a a limited fashion — after receiving assurances Lands’ End pricing stipulations would be respected.

Reaction to the move was mixed. Some analysts thought it was the right idea to get the brand in front of new eyes; others thought it was an excellent opportunity to give Amazon even better access to its remaining customers.

But however it shakes out, Marchionni will be a viewer, not a leader.

“Her creative vision has helped Lands’ End begin its transformation as a global lifestyle brand with a broader merchandise offering that is more relevant in today’s marketplace,” Josephine Linden, chairman of Lands’ End’s board of directors, said in a statement. “Federica is stepping down at this time, leaving Lands’ End well-positioned to continue its evolution and capture the growth opportunities that exist for our iconic brand in this dynamic retail environment.”