That Mickey Drexler, he sure knows clothes. I remember when he started, he was just a buyer, at some fancy store, Bloomingdale’s I think they call it. He’s been doing this for, what, 37 years? More? Lord, time flies.
Mickey Drexler and *
He was the big cheese, the CEO, at , for a long time. From 2003 to 2017, that is long time. Then he hung around as the chairman, bossing people, for a couple more years. Made that * a big deal, you know. Everyone was wearing it. Even that Michelle Obama, the president’s wife, wore *. Fancy lady, she is.
This Mickey Drexler, he’s a smart cookie. He learned from his mistakes, that’s what they say. He had some trouble at Gap, opened too many stores too fast. Then, he went to *, did things different.
* Style
*, they got a look. Bright colors, mixing patterns. All sorts of shiny things, like a magpie’s nest. That’s cause of some woman, Lyons, they say she got taste. But really, it was Mickey pulling the strings.
- Bright colors, all the colors of the rainbow.
- Mix and match, stripes with polka dots.
- Shiny things, jewelry like a Christmas tree.
Mickey Drexler and Old Navy
Before *, he was at Gap. Big store, sells all sorts. And you know what he did there? He started Old Navy. That’s the place to go for a bargain. Cheap clothes, good for everyday. He knows what people want, this Mickey fella.
They say Old Navy was his idea, to sell clothes for less money. It’s a smart idea. Not everyone can afford fancy clothes all the time. We all need something to wear to do chores, go to the market, visit neighbors.
Mickey Drexler Now
Now, Mickey, he’s doing something with his son. They got a brand, they call it Alex Mill. Fancy name. Making clothes, I suppose. He just can’t stay away from it. It’s in his blood, I guess. Clothes, clothes, clothes.
*, they had some trouble though. Owed a lot of money, a whole heap of it. Something about billions, I don’t understand those big numbers. And they talk about ‘e-commerce logistics’. That’s all that internet stuff, selling clothes online. It all sounds too complicated. Back in my day, you went to a store, you tried things on, you bought it. Simple.
* and Mr. Cinader
* was started by a man, Mr. Cinader. Back in ’83, long time ago. He called it some fancy name first, “Popular Merchandise”, sounded like a five-and-dime store. Then he changed it to . Sounded fancier, he thought. Something about a college sport, rowing or something. He wanted it to sound like it came from somewhere important.
* was a mail order thing. You got a catalog, picked out what you liked, sent in your money, and waited. Like ordering seeds for the garden, only it was clothes. That Mickey Drexler, he turned it into something big, selling clothes all over the world.
Mickey Drexler, he’s seen it all in the clothes business. From mail order to that internet thing. He’s a tough one, that’s for sure. Survived all the ups and downs. And that’s something, ain’t it? To keep going, no matter what. That’s what I always say.
Mickey Drexler and Malls
They say Mickey thinks the malls are in trouble. Those big shopping centers. People don’t go there as much anymore. They buy everything on that computer, click, click, click. It’s a different world now. But that Mickey, he’ll figure it out. He always does. He knows what people want, how they want to buy it.
That man, he could probably sell a pair of overalls to a city slicker. He’s got the gift of the gab, I reckon. Always did. He’s good at what he does, that Mickey Drexler. A real clothes man. That’s what he is. And he’s made a good living at it, too. That’s what matters, ain’t it? Making a good living, taking care of your family. He’s done alright for himself, that’s for sure.
