Saks Off 5th adds executives

Saks Off 5th has made two key hires to its executive team. Molly Taylor has been named chief merchant and Kate Brems has been named senior vice president of planning.

Taylor will step into her new role on November 16. Previously she was chief merchandising officer at Century 21, which is currently going through liquidation and going out of business sales. Other stints on her resume include vice president and divisional merchandise manager of women’s apparel at Nordstrom Rack, where she launched nordstromrack.com. She began her career 30 years ago at Macy’s. She will report to Saks Off 5th CEO Paige Thomas.

Saks Off 5th has been without a chief merchant since Tom Ott left the business in August 2019. His duties were split between senior vice presidents Christine Merrick for men’s, kids’, and footwear and Allison Ross for women’s apparel and center core.

Brems will also be stepping into her new role on November 16. Previously she worked at PVH Corp. as senior vice president, head of merchandising, planning, operations and digital sales and was a member of the senior leadership team for Izod and Van Heusen men’s sportswear brands. Brems is no stranger to Saks Fifth Avenue, having begun her career there where she worked in buying and planning, eventually rising to the role of senior vice president, head of omnichannel strategy and merchandise planning. She left Saks to become president, head of sales and merchandising at Theory. Brems will be reporting to Thomas too.

photo: via Saks Off 5th Facebook Page