LEXI JAMES TAWES - RETAIL EXECUTIVE & BRAND BUILDER

BRAND BUILDER | BUSINESS TRANSFORMER | PRODUCT STRATEGIST | P&L OWNER | TASTE MAKER | DIGITAL EXPERT

 

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE:

Innovative retail executive and global brand builder with 20+ years of proven experience creating and leading dynamic teams that drive game-changing product concepts and profitable growth across various categories and channels.

Known for the unique ability to combine both creativity and financial acumen to deliver extraordinary business results while strengthening product and brand positioning; a passion for assembling truly formidable cross-functional teams; bringing entrepreneurial cutting-edge product and fulfillment ideas to life derived from relentless customer curiosity.

Extensive experience in all aspects of brand and product management - from P&L over site and capital procurement to lifestyle brand positioning, merchandising, design and marketing in a global omni channel companies of varying sizes. .

 

HIGHLIGHTS

 

·       RADICAL INNOVATOR 20+ years of creating relevancy and new experiences for brands - created accessible premium 1969 denim brand, implemented shoppable Instagram before any other brand, piloted athletes influencer programs that have since been copied.

·       EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP Ten+ years of CEO-level leadership for startup businesses to $1.5B brands.

·       BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION Transformed and repositioned $120M Piperlime business to achieve positive cashflow in 18 months.

·       BRAND CREATION Founded BAACAL fashion brand ranked #4 most influential inclusive brand.

·       REVENUE GROWTH Led $20M increase in EBITDA at Lucky Brand with 100%+ growth within 1 year.

·       E-COMMERCE BUSINESS Drove $900M growth in Banana Republic’s eCommerce brand.

·       BRAND PERFORMANCE Exceeded revenue targets by $144M, leading Gap brand turnaround. Delivered 28 consecutive months of +comps.

·       PRODUCT EXCELLENCE Created Gap 1969 Denim sub- brand that drove $242M in new revenue.

·       SUSTAINABILITY Built fully sustainable product pipeline for Outerknown. Spearheaded sustainability initiatives at Banana Republic, Lucky Brand, and BAACAL.

KEY SKILLS:

  • Executive & Team Leadership

  • Global Brand Development & Design

  • Sustainable Product Design & Development

  • P&L, Cash Flow Management & Capital Procurement

  • eCommerce & Digital Strategies

  • Digitally Native, Omnichannel & Direct-to-Consumer [DTC] Brands

  • Strategic Planning & Execution

  • Merchandising Strategy & Assortment Planning

  • Omnichannel Marketing

  • Supply Chain & Product Development

  • Brand Transformation

  • Customer Centricity

 

CRITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS:

  • 20+ Years of cut through product story-telling that delivers meaningful growth and brand equity.

  • 10 Years of proven P&L/CEO level leadership resulting in growth of all business - from startups to $1.5B brands.

  • Led $120M digitally native Piperlime business from cashflow negative to positive in 18 months through total brand reposition.

  • Grew Banana Republic E-comm business to $900M (33% of the brand) as P&L owner. 

  • Launched DTC Inclusive & Sustainable Brand BAACAL with Cynthia Vincent - ranked #4 most influential inclusive brand.

  • Delivered $20M in EBITDA, +100% increase, in first year at Lucky Brand.

  • Merchant Responsible for Gap Brand Turnaround in 2012 that delivered 28 consecutive months of positive comps and beat revenue targets by $144M.

  • Created 1969 Denim Sub-brand at Gap that generated $242M in revenue in 2009.

  • Founding Member of Chief San Francisco, A Private Networking and Career Advancement Group for C-Suite Women.

MOST PROUD OF

  • CHAMPIONING INNOVATION

    From creating the 1969 Accessible Premium Denim brand at Gap to pioneering shoppable Instagram at Piperlime to establishing the Influencer and Sustainability programs at Banana Republic I have always embraced what’s next allowing me to keep in lock step with my customers.

  • BUILDING EXCEPTIONAL TEAMS

    Over my career I have built highly functioning teams that have accomplished more together than they thought they could.

     

  • BRAND BUILDING

Thinking brand first is central to how I deliver lasting financial results. Through a holistic revamp of every facet of the Piperlime brand we were able to create new value with the customer and take the brand to profitability in 18 months.

EDUCATION

BACHELOR’S DEGREE /BIOLOGY

Trinity College, Connecticut

LIGHTWEIGHT CREW OARSMAN

Varsity Letter Winner

Trinity College, Connecticut

Elected to the National Lightweight Crew

FOUNDING MEMBER OF CHIEF, SAN FRANCISCO / Oct 2020

The only private membership network focused on connecting and supporting women executive leaders