Key executive out at J. Crew

The woman whose quirky, eclectic personal style came to define J. Crew — and who is the No.2 executive at the company — is leaving.



Jenna Lyons, president and executive creative director, is stepping down from the struggling retailer. She will remain with J.Crew as a creative advisor until her contract expires in December 2017.



Lyons, a 26-year J. Crew veteran, has been in her current position since 2012, and held various design positions prior to that. She started to take on a higher profile after Millard “Mickey” Drexler arrived as CEO in 2003, becoming a style icon in fashion circles with her signature geek-chic look, complete with oversized black glasses.



Lyons’ departure comes as J.Crew struggles with weak sales in its namesake brand and a heavy debt load. Total company revenues decreased 3% to $2.4 billion in 2016; J.Crew brand sales were down 6% with a 5% decline in same-store sales.



The retailer said it does not plan to replace Lyons, whose responsibilities include the oversight of all product design, visual and brand presentation. Instead, her duties will be transitioned to other members of the executive team.



Somsack Sikhounmuong, head of women's design, will be promoted to chief design officer which will include the oversight of the women's, men's and crewcuts design teams, effective immediately.



Sikhounmuong has been with J.Crew since 2001, in senior design roles, and from 2013-2015 served as head of design for the company’s Madewell brand, where he was a key contributor to the brand's success, J.Crew stated. Sikhounmuong will report directly to Drexler.



"Somsack and our design teams have a deep understanding of the aesthetic and style our customers rely on J.Crew to deliver, with a proven track record of driving creative vision in-line with our brand DNA,” Drexler said. “We are excited to extend Somsack's vision across all design categories and look forward to the team's contributions.”



According to reports, Lyon’s leaving was a mutual decision.



"It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Jenna as my trusted partner for the past 14 years,” Drexler said. “She has made many significant contributions to J.Crew and has built an incredibly talented team. J.Crew is focused on continuing the progress underway as we execute on our strategic initiatives and position the company for the long term. “




J.Crew operates 281 namesake retail stores, 113 Madewell stores, and 180 factory stores in addition to e-commerce sites.