TL;DR
Get your wardrobe favorites delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Gap Inc. confirmed that John Demsey, who joined the company in 2025 as executive director of beauty, has departed. The retailer says beauty remains a growth opportunity, following new product offerings at Old Navy and a Gap fragrance relaunch.
Gap Inc. has confirmed that John Demsey, a former Estée Lauder executive who joined the retailer in 2025 to advise on beauty, has left the company as it continues expanding cosmetics, fragrance and personal care across its brands. Gap did not disclose why he departed or name a successor, while saying beauty remains a strategic growth opportunity.
Demsey joined Gap Inc. as executive director of beauty, advising on plans to develop cosmetics, fragrance and personal care as additional categories for the U.S. apparel retailer. His departure comes as Gap moves into another phase of building out its beauty offer, though the company has not described how his responsibilities will be handled going forward.
During his tenure, Old Navy added about 40 third-party beauty brands, including E.l.f. Cosmetics, Neutrogena and TonyMoly, alongside its own bath and body collection. Gap also relaunched its fragrance range with five scents inspired by its 1994 collection, according to Global Cosmetics News, citing WWD.
Gap confirmed Demsey’s departure but provided no details about the circumstances. The company has not announced a replacement. The source report says Gap described beauty as a continuing growth opportunity and said the category has performed particularly well through Old Navy checkout channels.
Beauty Moves From Strategy to Stores
The departure is a leadership change during Gap Inc.’s effort to turn beauty from a developing category into a broader retail offer. The company’s activity spans third-party cosmetics and personal care at Old Navy and a renewed fragrance range under the Gap name, giving it more than one route to test customer demand.
For shoppers, the expansion could mean a wider selection of beauty products alongside apparel, especially at Old Navy. For Gap, the category offers a potential source of sales beyond clothing. The source report’s account of strong checkout-channel performance points to one sales route the company sees as promising, but it does not provide figures or specify the period measured.
Demsey’s exit does not, by itself, establish that Gap is changing course. The company says beauty remains strategic, but has not explained whether its next phase will bring new products, more brand partnerships, broader distribution or changes in leadership. Those details will show how the retailer plans to carry the work forward.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Gap’s Recent Beauty Rollout
Gap Inc. is an apparel retailer with a portfolio that includes Old Navy and Gap. Its beauty push has included both curated products from outside brands and products associated with its own labels. Old Navy’s additions put recognizable cosmetics and skin-care names into its assortment, while the bath and body collection extends the retailer’s own range.
Separately, Gap’s fragrance relaunch draws on a 1994 collection, linking the new scents to the brand’s earlier products. The reported developments show that the company has been testing beauty in different forms rather than relying on a single product category. The source material does not give launch dates for the individual additions or sales results for the fragrance range.
Demsey’s appointment in 2025 placed an executive with Estée Lauder experience in an advisory role as Gap developed its beauty strategy. His departure now falls at a point when the company says it is moving into a further phase of expansion. The available reporting does not state whether that shift reflects a planned handoff or a change in the company’s approach.
“Beauty remains a strategic growth opportunity.”
— Gap Inc.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Exit Details and Succession Unclear
Gap has not said when Demsey left, why he departed or whether the decision was mutual. It has also not named a replacement or explained who will lead the beauty work now. The company’s confirmation establishes the departure, but the circumstances remain undisclosed.
Other important details are also absent from the available reporting. Gap has not released beauty sales figures, quantified Old Navy checkout performance or said how much it plans to invest in the category. The report does not specify whether the roughly 40 brands were added at once or over what period. No claims about the financial impact of the expansion can be verified from the information provided.
cosmetics and skincare products for retail stores
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Gap’s Next Beauty Decisions
The next indication of Gap’s direction may come through further product launches, brand additions or information about how the company will organize the category after Demsey’s exit. Gap has not announced a date for a new appointment or a specific milestone for the expansion.
Investors and customers will also be looking for clearer evidence of how beauty is contributing to the business. Future company updates or reporting could clarify the category’s sales, the role of checkout placement at Old Navy and whether beauty will expand further across Gap Inc.’s brands. For now, the company has confirmed the leadership departure and maintained its stated interest in beauty, while leaving its next operational steps unspecified.
third-party beauty brands at Old Navy
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
Who is John Demsey?
John Demsey is a former Estée Lauder executive who joined Gap Inc. in 2025 as executive director of beauty, advising on the retailer’s cosmetics, fragrance and personal-care strategy.
Why did Demsey leave Gap Inc.?
Gap has not disclosed the reason for his departure. The circumstances have not been reported in the source material.
What has Gap Inc. added to its beauty business?
Old Navy expanded its offer with about 40 third-party brands, including E.l.f. Cosmetics, Neutrogena and TonyMoly, as well as its own bath and body collection. Gap also relaunched its fragrance range with five scents inspired by its 1994 collection.
Is Gap Inc. ending its beauty expansion?
No such decision has been announced. Gap says beauty remains a strategic growth opportunity, but has not detailed its next launches or named a successor to Demsey.
Source: rss
Fall Picks
fall essentials
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
