• New York Post, Thursday, May 24, 2007 1 PM

Gap Inc. is hiring Patrick Robinson -- most recently a designer for Paris-based Paco Rabanne -- to turn around its namesake brand. Robinson, 40, made headlines in 2004 after a public split with Perry Ellis International that raised questions about the commercial viability of his clothes. He has also designed a line for Target.

Long a darling of the fashion press -- wife Virginia Smith works for Vogue -- Robinson's Perry Ellis clothes were lauded for their creativity but did not meet sales targets.

Gap Interim CEO Robert Fisher is trying to loosen the corporate strings by bringing the company back to its innovative roots and focusing more on merchandise. Under former CEO Paul Pressler, Gap turned to focus groups to make even the smallest decisions, causing the company to lose its fashion edge.

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