Cathy Beaudoin, president of Amazon Fashion, the web giant’s Apparel & Accessories store, announced today she is leaving the retailer, an Amazon Fashion representative confirmed.
“Given the momentum of the business and strength of the team, she’s decided now is the right time to pass the baton,” the spokeswoman says. Amazon.com Inc., No. 1 in the Internet Retailer 2017 Top 1000, has not announced her replacement.
Beaudoin joined Amazon in 2008 from Gap Inc. (No. 24), where she worked on its online shoe store Piperlime, which Gap has since closed.
Apparel is a high-margin product category, and Amazon has sold apparel since 2002, when it launched its Apparel & Accessories store. The e-retailer has become more aggressive in recent years and has launched private-label clothing brands. Investment firm Cowen Group estimated in early 2016 that Amazon’s apparel sales will grow to $27.78 billion in 2017.
Amazon is rapidly growing its private-label apparel business. Sales of Amazon’s private-label apparel products increased 67% in the fourth quarter of 2016 compared to the third quarter, according to Slice Intelligence, which analyzes online sales based on the email receipts of a panel of 4.7 million consumers. Amazon launched at least seven private-label apparel brands in 2016, and that its Lark & Ro brand is generating the most sales, Slice says in a blog that posted today.
A few weeks ago, Amazon launched the Echo Look, a small tower-like, voice-activated camera that Amazon bills as a style assistant. “Using just your voice, easily take full-length photos and short videos with a hands-free camera that includes built-in LED lighting, depth-sensing camera, and computer vision-based background blur,” an email to Amazon customers states. “See yourself from every angle with the companion app. Build a personal lookbook and share your photos.”
Favorite