21 Jan Target Names SVP of Apparel and Accessories
Target Corporation hired Michelle Wlazlo as senior vice president of apparel and accessories. She was most recently she served as senior vice president of global merchandising, Gap.
In this role, Wlazlo will be responsible for the retailer’s merchandising programs for women’s, men’s and kids’ apparel and accessories, as well as Target’s baby business.
Wlazlo brings more than 25 years of diverse retail experience, nearly 19 of which she spent in various leadership positions at Gap Inc., where most recently she served as senior vice president of global merchandising, Gap. In that role, Wlazlo was responsible for the development of global brand and product assortment strategies across all apparel and accessories divisions, as well as leading the integration efforts of Gap’s stores and digital buying teams. Prior to her time at Gap Inc., Wlazlo’s background includes positions at Bebe and Saks Fifth Avenue.
The retailer also announced the hire of Erika De Salvatore for the newly created role of Vice President of Visual Merchandising. De Salvatore has more than 15 years of visual merchandising experience, serving most recently as Vice President, Visual Merchandising, Visual Operations, International and Flagship Visual at Express. In her role at Target, De Salvatore will lead the development of visual strategies across the retailer’s merchandising initiatives, with a focus on creating a compelling guest experience in Target stores nationwide.
“Over the past year, we’ve made significant progress against our goal to make Target famous for our signature product categories, and our guests have responded favorably to the focus and innovation we’ve showcased,” said Brian Cornell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Target. “While I’m confident in our strategy and that we’re on the right path, we’re just at the beginning of our journey. I believe Michelle and Erika will significantly advance Target’s efforts, in terms of our assortments and the overall experience we offer our guests. We’re excited to welcome both of them to our Target team.”
“I’ve had a love for retail ever since working at my family’s boutique during high school. To this day, there’s nothing quite like the reward that comes with helping a customer find the perfect item,” said Wlazlo. “I’ve admired Target for as long as I can remember – as both a shopper and a competitor – and I can’t wait to join the team and help carve out its future.”
Target’s signature categories include: Style, Baby, Kids and Wellness. In its quarterly financial reporting, the retailer has shared that these categories have shown consistent strength, performing much better than the company average. In addition to its differentiated product assortment, the retailer has attributed this momentum to a renewed focus on the presentation and experience it offers its guests, including the addition of 1,400 visual merchandising positions across its stores nationwide.