President of Lord & Taylor leaves

Troubled department store chain Lord & Taylor has lost a key executive.

Vanessa LeFebvre, who was appointed president of Hudson Bay Company’s Lord & Taylor division in May 2018, is leaving. LeFebvre, who announced her resignation on her LinkedIn account, spent the first 10 years of her career as a buyer and DMM at Lord & Taylor, going on to senior roles at several retailers, including Macy’s. She left Macy’s in May 2017 to join online subscription retailer Stitch Fix, where she served as VP and general merchandise manager of women’s.

“Yesterday, I shared my decision to step down from my role to explore what’s next, Lord + Taylor isn’t just where my career started, it’s always been family, and it’ll always feel like home,” she wrote.

LeFebvre’s resignation comes as the fate of Lord & Taylor, America’s oldest department store,  is cloudy at best. In May, HBC announced that it was reviewing strategic options for its Lord & Taylor business that include a possible sale or merger as part of its strategy “to focus on its greatest opportunities.” Lord & Taylor operates more than 40 stores in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic markets

Similar to other mid-market department store retailers, Lord & Taylor has been challenged in the new retail landscape and by declining mall traffic. HBC ceased operations of the division’s iconic Fifth Avenue flagship after the 2018 holiday season, selling the building to an affiliate of WeWork.  Last year, it announced plans to close up to 10 Lord & Taylor stores.

HBC’s other U.S. banners include Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks Off 5th.