Casual

New York -- Andy Dunn, the founder of the hot online menswear retailer Bonobos, is transitioning from CEO to executive chairman. Dunn, who founded the company in 2007, has named retail veteran Francine Della Badia to serve as CEO starting June 1.

Della Badia most recently served as president of North American retail at Coach, leaving in February. She also held positions with Victoria’s Secret, J.Crew and Gap Inc.

Surging sales at Old Navy helped Gap Inc. offset sales declines at its namesake division and its Banana Republic stores in the first quarter.

Gap Inc. reported that for the first quarter of fiscal 2015, Gap Inc.’s net sales decreased 3% to $3.66 billion compared with $3.77 billion for the first quarter last year.

Toronto -- Canada’s Loblaw Companies Ltd. said it will pull its Joe Fresh brand from J.C. Penney stores in the United States at the beginning of next year as it looks to concentrate on freestanding Joe Fresh stores and e-commerce.  

Boston -- Gordon Brothers Group and Hilco Merchant Resources announced that they will begin going-out-of-business sales at Simply Fashion and Dots retail locations nationwide beginning May 7.

San Francisco – The Gymboree Corp. shrank its net loss in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014 to $7.4 million, from $167.2 million in the same quarter a year earlier. The elimination of a non-recurring $157.2 million non-cash impairment charge in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013 contributed to the reduction in net loss.

Net sales rose 7% to $375.6 million, from $351 million. Same-store sales rose 5%. In fiscal 2015, Gymboree plans to close 30-40 stores and open about 12 stores.

Frank & Oak, the online membership-based menswear retailer,  is also  expanding in the physical space, with both permanent locations and pop-ups. The company's Toronto flagship  features the brand’s monthly menswear collections and special capsule collections. The spacious, contemporary space reflects the brand’s lifestyle approach to retailing with a café and full-service barbershop.

New York – During World War II, Gen. Douglas MacArthur famously said, “I shall return.” Two board members of Aeropostale Inc. are taking the opposite approach.

Robert B. Chavez has advised Aeropostale that he will not seek re-election to its board of directors in 2015 due to his responsibilities and time commitments as president and CEO of Hermes of Paris Inc. Chavez will continue to serve until the 2015 annual meeting.

Framingham, Mass. -- American women are ambitious and confident when it comes to pursuing their goals, yet understand the hard work it takes to achieve them.

In a new survey from Marshalls, 85% of American women ages 22 – 54 who have goals feel confident that they will achieve them in the next year, which is no easy feat with women juggling four different goals on average. Even as master multi-taskers women know when to ask for help, with 91% reporting to need a little boost and support to help create a path toward success.
 

Stockholm, Sweden - H&M will open at Uptown Village, Cedar Hill, Texas. Measuring approximately 21,000-sq.-ft., the store is set to open in the fall of 2015 and will add to fast-fashion chain’s 14 current locations in the state of Texas.

Secaucus, N.J. - The Children's Place Inc. has rejected three board of directors nominees from shareholders Barington Capital Group L.P. and Macellum Advisors GP LLC. The two investment firms, which collectively own less than 2% of the company’s shares, sent a letter expressing concern about The Children’s Place financial performance and recommending new nominees in March 2015.