Gap: Europe v USA -- Is Europe Pulling Ahead?

Last Spring I posted some pictures from the then upcoming fall/winter collection for the UK Gap stores, designed I was told by Phoebe Philo, formerly of Chloe, and Marie-Amelie Sauve, the stylist for French Vogue who works with Nicholas Ghesquiere on Balenciaga. I thought the clothes looked great and couldn't wait to see them in person. Today the Business of Fashion is reporting that the European sales are up 30% from last year, and although total international sales are down 2 percent, it's a vast improvement over the U.S. numbers which are down 10 percent. While at the collections, I had a chat with the C.E.O. of a Paris fashion house who knows Philo well. He led me to believe that she's on the verge of making an announcement. Could it be that Gap executives are taking note of the numbers and considering her for a big post? I don't think so. For one thing, they just brought in Patrick Robinson in the U.S. For another, she doesn't want to leave London and it is hard to imagine that a machine as big as Gap would be willing to move its design center abroad. Still, though, it will be interesting to see what next moves are in store for her and for the Gap. □