J.Crew taps 30-year retail veteran as president of Madewell

J.Crew Group has tapped a seasoned retail executive to lead Madewell.

The apparel and accessories retailer has appointed Adrienne Lazarus as president of Madewell, effective September 2023. She will report to J. Crew Group CEO Libby Wadle, who has been overseeing both the J. Crew and Madewell brands.(Before being named CEO in November 2020, Waddle was president of Madewell.)

Most recently, Lazarus was co-CEO of  direct-to-consumer intimates brand Cuup, and a senior advisor at McKinsey & Company, leveraging her expertise in the retail, wholesale, and digital sectors to drive growth and business transformation for the firm’s retail and apparel clients. 

Previously, Lazarus served as the CEO of Bandier (2019 to 2021),  CEO of Frye (2015 to 2017) and president of Intermix (2009 to 2013).  Prior to that, she spent 17 years at Ann Taylor, included serving as president of the Ann Taylor brand, from 2004 to 2008, where she spearheaded a large-scale turnaround and achieved “unprecedented profitability for the company,” according to the J.Crew release.

In addition, while at Ann Taylor, Lazarus was instrumental in launching and growing the highly successful Loft brand to a billion dollars in revenue, the release added.

 "Adrienne’s exceptional leadership skills, creativity, and passion for building relevant, customer-centric and purpose-driven brands will be a great asset to our team as Madewell continues to scale,” said Wadle. “Her strategic approach, entrepreneurial spirit, and proven track record makes her the ideal leader to join Madewell as we position the brand for the future.”

In her new position, Lazarus  will oversee all of Madewell’s functions. 

Lazarus added, “Madewell is an iconic brand with well positioned product, deep customer loyalty and unique focus on creating community. I’m energized by the clear potential for growth and honored to join Libby and the highly talented Madewell team in unlocking value and ushering the brand into its next era.”

As of August 1, 2023, J. Crew Group operates 121 J.Crew stores, 152 Madewell stores, and 199 J.Crew Factory stores in nearly every state in the United States.