Bigger Role
● The apparel retail veteran who has led Walmart’s women’s group will now oversee the retailer’s apparel brands.
Walmart has promoted Denise Incandela to lead its apparel brands, both in stores and online.
Walmart has promoted Denise Incandela to oversee its apparel brands, with the title of executive vice president, apparel and private brands.
Incandela, an apparel industry veteran who rose through leadership roles at Saks Fifth Avenue and Ralph Lauren Corp. and became the chief executive officer of footwear brand Aerosoles, most recently held the role of senior vice president of Walmart’s women’s group, elevated and online brands. In that role, she oversaw the significant expansion of Walmart’s fashion apparel offerings, including the retailer’s link-ups with entertainment personalities including Sofia Vergara, as well as original lines such as the Free Assembly line that launched in September.
Now as EVP of apparel and private brands at Walmart, Incandela will oversee the retailer’s apparel offerings in stores and online. In this new role, Incandela is also leading private brands for all general merchandising across Walmart’s categories, including the entertainment, toys, seasonal, home and hardlines categories.
“Denise is an experienced retailer with incredibly deep fashion and apparel expertise, having over 20 years growing and transforming retail brands,” Scott McCall, Walmart’s EVP, chief merchandising officer, said in an internal memo to staff on Friday.
“She’s been recognized across the industry for her innovation and vision, leadership of teams and delivering results,” he wrote. “At Walmart, Denise has shown a deep focus on the customer, leads with a digital mind-set, and leverages both art and science for key decision-making.”
Incandela’s role at Walmart since 2017 has involved overseeing an evolving digital business for Walmart apparel offerings. In recent years, the retailer has sought to establish a definitive apparel presence and to refine its e- commerce capabilities, bringing on online brands including Bonobos in 2017 and Eloquii in 2018.
“Last year when we became One Merchandising Team, Denise took on the responsibility of our women’s apparel business and acquired and elevated brands, including Moosejaw, Bonobos, Eloquii and Free Assembly,” McCall said in his memo.
Incandela’s previous retail leadership experience includes roles as president of global digital at Ralph Lauren, and as EVP and chief marketing officer of Saks Fifth Avenue.
“I’m thrilled to be leading apparel and private brands for Walmart,” Incandela said in a statement Friday. “Since joining the company, I’ve been focused on establishing Walmart as a destination for fashion — a place where customers can discover quality, on- trend fashion no matter their style or budget. I’m proud of the work we’ve done to expand our fashion assortment and bring new and existing customers hundreds more national brands and exclusive, elevated brands at an incredible value. I’m excited about what’s ahead and all the ways we will continue to surprise and delight our customer.”