Dive Brief:
- Claire’s named Michelle Goad as its chief brand officer, per a Monday press release shared with Retail Dive. Goad’s position will focus on making stores into experiential spaces for the retailer’s target tween and teen demographic.
- The executive most recently served as chief digital officer for Athleta under the Gap Inc. portfolio, per Goad’s LinkedIn. She also has experience working at Nike and Alo Yoga.
- Goad is the first C-suite hire at Claire’s since its North American operations were acquired by Ames Watson out of bankruptcy in 2025.
Dive Insight:
While the Ames Watson acquisition of Claire’s included a minimized store footprint, the investment firm is still focused on brick and mortar, which Goad will help oversee.
“Michelle is a proven brand builder with a unique ability to connect culture, community, and commerce, especially when it comes to the younger consumer,” Lawrence Berger, partner and co-founder at Ames Watson, said in a statement. “She understands the power of this consumer and the responsibility that comes with serving her.”
About 800 stores remained open at the time the deal closed, with the potential to reach 950. The move marked a retreat from the retailer’s previous 1,500-store footprint in the North American region.
Mall-based retail, as opposed to e-commerce, is a key focus for the retailer, Berger told Retail Dive last year.
“We’re the only mall-based brand operating at scale that’s fully dedicated to girls ages 6–14, which gives us a uniquely powerful offline connection point,” Goad said in a statement. “Girls are telling us they want a third place beyond Sephora and Starbucks — and it’s our responsibility to deliver on that need.”
In addition to transforming the retailer’s stores, Goad is tasked with rebuilding trust with millennial-aged parents and positioning Claire’s as a safe space for personal transformation, per the press release.
