Everlane names Rebekka Bay as head of product and design

Everlane, the online-only, direct-to-consumer apparel startup, has named former Gap creative director Rebekka Bay as its head of product and design, effective August 4.

The San Francisco-based online clothing retailer, known for its quality basics and manufacturing transparency, have snapped up Bay following her exit from Gap earlier this year after just two years on the job, to work alongside its current head of design Petra Langerova, who will remain with the company as an advisor.

"I think she’s going to bring a significant amount of strategy and foresight and planning, thinking about Everlane not only as a fashion brand, but as a lifestyle brand," Everlane founder Michael Preysman told Business of Fashion. “Creating something that is beautiful, functional and accessible can be done once or twice with a small team. But we need to do that now with hundreds of styles. Rebekka has the ability to map out a solid strategy while also executing with a nimble team on the ground.”

“My mission is to [communicate] the Everlane vision so that you’re never in doubt when you’re touching or wearing an Everlane product,” added Bay to BoF. “It will probably take us 12 to 18 months to define the Everlane signature, from the type of hand, the trim, the finishing, the proportions, the silhouette, whether to work with colour or not to work with colour.”

Bay’s first designs for Everlane will begin hitting everlane.com in the next six months.