Lands’ End has appointed Charlie Cole as its next chief executive officer, effective July 13, the company announced. Cole, a veteran of the retail sector with leadership experience across department store and direct-to-consumer channels, will also join the company’s board of directors.
Cole succeeds Jim Fogarty, who has led the Wisconsin-based retailer through a period of operational restructuring and digital transformation since 2019. Fogarty’s tenure saw Lands’ End navigate the pandemic-driven surge in casual dressing, expand its third-party marketplace partnerships, and invest in a technology platform that improved inventory management and customer data integration.
Lands’ End, founded in 1963 as a mail-order sailing equipment company, has reinvented itself multiple times over six decades, evolving into a heritage brand known for its classic American style and made-to-last construction. The company has been publicly traded since 2014, when Sears Holdings spun off the division following years of underinvestment.
Cole’s immediate priorities include accelerating the company’s digital sales channel, expanding its partnership with third-party retailers, and refreshing the brand’s aesthetic to appeal to a younger demographic without alienating its core customer base. He described the opportunity as one of the most compelling in American retail, noting that few heritage brands have the same combination of brand recognition, quality reputation, and untapped growth potential.
The appointment comes at a pivotal moment for the brand, which has seen renewed interest in its core categories as consumers gravitate toward durable, investment-driven wardrobes. Lands’ End has reported three consecutive quarters of revenue growth, driven by strength in outerwear, swimwear, and its uniform supply business.
