Gemette Out, Hughes In at Arden B.
Sharon Hughes was named chief merchandise officer for Arden B., the contemporary division of juniors retail chain Wet Seal Inc., following the resignation of Greg Gemette, Arden B.’s president of merchandise.
Hughes had previously worked at Wet Seal from 1990 to 2002. During that time, she served as a senior vice president of merchandising for Wet Seal.
The company’s new chief executive, Ed Thomas, worked with Hughes when he was president of Wet Seal from 1990 to 2002. From 2002 to September 2007, he worked as president of surf and skate retailer Tilly’s Inc.
Gemette had been hired as the Arden B. merchandising chief on March 13, 2006, during a time of transition for the women’s-apparel retailer. Jennifer Pritchard had resigned as divisional president in March 2006, and Gemette was expected to reinvigorate Arden B.
Wet Seal does not report its Arden B. financials, but it has been consistently losing money, according to Jeffrey Van Sinderen, a retail analyst for Los Angeles–based B. Riley & Co.
Van Sinderen applauded the new hire, especially with the increasingly challenging market for the women’s contemporary market. “They have a better shot with her,” he said. Gemette had not answered a request to comment by press time. —Andrew Asch
