Gap Inc. has appointed Donald Kohler, who previously oversaw Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger at PVH Corp., to the role of Global Brand President and CEO of Banana Republic.
“Donald is a product-driven leader with deep global expertise and an extraordinary track record of revitalizing brands to new relevance with clarity, discipline, and storytelling that connects with customers to drive growth,” said Gap President and CEO Richard Dickson in a statement.
Kohler most recently served as CEO of PVH Americas, leading the company’s regional retail, ecommerce, wholesale and licensing businesses. Prior to PVH Corp., Kohler held senior leadership roles at Burberry, Ferragamo and Diesel.
Kohler began his career at Gap Inc. in merchandising leadership roles across Gap, GapKids, and babyGap.
“Returning to Gap Inc. is deeply meaningful for me,” Kohler said. “Banana Republic has extraordinary heritage and a powerful opportunity to inspire today’s consumer through elevated product, immersive storytelling and a cohesive customer journey.”
Banana Republic’s Turnaround Efforts
Banana Republic’s previous President and CEO Sandra Stangl departed the company in 2024 following efforts to expand into home goods.
Kohler will work to build momentum at Banana Republic, which is working on strengthening its product architecture, deepening brand storytelling, elevating the in-store and digital experience and driving disciplined execution across its global channels. In August 2025, the brand unveiled a new premium store design at Westfield Century City in Los Angeles.
In fiscal 2025, which ended Jan. 31, Banana Republic reported net sales of $1.9 billion, a 1% decrease from the previous year. Comparable sales increased 3%.
In Q4, net sales increased 1% to $549 million and comparable sales increased 4% — its third consecutive quarter of comp growth.
Kohler will start the new role in July 2026 and will be based in San Francisco.
“[Donald] is deeply respected as a people leader who builds trust and develops high-performing teams,” Dickson said. “That rare combination of operational excellence and brand building positions him well to lead Banana Republic’s next chapter – building on the brand’s momentum and reinvigoration as a modern explorer brand.”
