Trish Donnelly, whose career includes senior posts at Urban Outfitters, Calvin Klein, and J. Crew, has been appointed division CEO of Chico’s FAS under KnitWell Group, according to LinkedIn updates Wednesday from both Donnelly and the holding company.
Donnelly, most recently president of luxury brand The Row, officially started this week. She has also served as CEO of Calvin Klein Global at PVH, CEO of PVH Americas, and spent six years in leadership at Urban Outfitters, including five as global CEO.
In her new role, Donnelly will oversee all product and customer-facing operations across Chico’s brands, Chico’s, White House Black Market, and Soma, as well as day-to-day management of KnitWell’s Florida campus.
Chico’s has been without a dedicated chief since Molly Langenstein departed in early 2024, shortly after private equity firm Sycamore Partners acquired the retailer for $1 billion and folded it into KnitWell.
The portfolio also includes Ann Taylor, Loft, and Talbots.
“Trish is an exceptional leader with a proven record of success and is widely respected for uniting teams around a shared vision and for delivering results,” said KnitWell CEO Lizanne Kindler in a LinkedIn post.
“Her passion for retail and dedication to customers are truly unmatched.”
Donnelly described her arrival as timely: “It’s a transformative time in retail,” she wrote, adding that she looks forward to helping write “the next chapter of growth for our brands.”
Industry analysts say her background could provide much-needed expertise, though the company faces challenges. “Trish Donnelly’s appointment signals Chico’s ambition to elevate its brands and sharpen its customer strategy,” Liza Amlani, principal at Retail Strategy Group, told Retail Dive.
“The challenge will be translating luxury and premium brand experience into a highly promotional, margin-sensitive environment where inventory discipline and speed-to-market are critical.
“If she can pair her brand vision with operational rigor, Chico’s has a real chance at reinvention. Otherwise, the appointment risks becoming more about optics than execution.”
Chico’s, which struggled for years before Sycamore’s acquisition, no longer reports financial results as a private company, leaving the state of its turnaround less clear.
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