Ann Taylor names head designer, stores head

NEW YORK Ann Taylor Stores has named Lisa Axelson as head designer, and Mary Kay O'Connor-Wente has been named head of stores.

Axelson joins Ann Taylor Stores as senior vp of design. She was most recently senior vp of design for Club Monaco, a division of Polo, since October 2005. She began her career at Gap Inc., working on the Banana Republic and Gap brands for 10 years.

O'Connor-Wente was most recently zone vp West for Express, where she drove successful business results through effective development and management of her field eadership team. Prior to Express, O'Connor-Wente was a top-performer in various field leadership roles during her 15-year tenure at Victoria's Secret.