is a brand of clothing and chain of stores owned by
Gap Inc. , which also owns
The Gap and
Banana Republic . Old Navy's corporate operations are within
Gap in
San Francisco and
San Bruno ,
California . It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new
Mission Bay district of San Francisco. Gap, Inc. was run by President and CEO
Paul Pressler from
September 2002 -
January 22 ,
2007 . Mr. Robert J. Fisher will serve as Interim Chief Executive Officer commencing
January 22 ,
2007 .United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Form 8-K
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Old Navy opened its first three stores in in
San Francisco .
In . While this motif was quickly dropped, many stores retain a warehouse-like/urban decor and the name Old Navy stuck.
The online store, oldnavy.com, launched operations in
2000 .
In
1999 , Old Navy expanded its franchise to 6 locations in Puerto Rico. In
2001 , Old Navy opened 12 stores in the
Greater Toronto Area ,
Canada . Furthermore, in
2004 , 7 stores were opened in the province of
Quebec (including 6 in the
Montreal Area).
Old Navy's
Target Market largely consists of
Middle Class and
Upper Class families and
Teenager s. The clothing is more affordable than its other
Gap Inc. counterparts, as well as that of rival stores like
American Eagle ,
Aéropostale ,
Abercrombie & Fitch , and
Hollister . Old Navy's stores contain specialized sections for infants, boys, girls, men, and women. Most recently, Old Navy launched a re-worked line of denim for women sizes 0 to 20, with catchy names such as the Sweetheart, Diva and Flirt. They are available in a range of fits and lengths, but are still very affordable. In addition to clothing, Old Navy also sells a variety of accessories such as shoes, handbags, toys, hats, and sunglasses, along with a line of clothing and toys for dogs.
Flagship stores also have "collection" business clothes for women, plus size and maternity sections. As of summer
2007 however, plus-size clothing is only available online and has been pulled from all stores due to low sales. Previously, Old Navy attempted to launch a bath and body line, called ONbody, but dropped the effort after only a few months.
Old Navy informally bills itself as an all-American brand. The chain releases a shirt every summer emblazoned with an
American Flag . Each year's shirt features a slightly altered flag graphic with the year listed underneath. Alternatively, they also offer shirts with the
Puerto Rican Flag on them. In its Canadian stores, a similar shirt with the
Canadian Flag is sold.
Within the next five years, Old Navy plans to renovate all their US stores. The new Old Navy will have hardwood floors, natural lighting, and a garden inside the store. Old Navy hopes to shed its warehouse-like atmosphere and induce a more comfortable, natural shopping experience.
The most notable aspect of Old Navy's television advertisements are their
Kitsch y, satirical tone toward a
Retro time period, vaguely between 1940 and 1960. In sharp contrast to the Gap's advertisements, Old Navy's feature chipper family members sporting their clothing line while engaging in wholesome family activities, such as barbecuing. A common tagline used in their campaigns is ''"
clothing article here for the whole family!"''
Old Navy is also known for its advertising campaigns featuring celebrities such as
Molly Sims ,
Morgan Fairchild ,
Joan Collins ,
Fran Drescher ,
Vanessa Anne Hudgens ,
Kristin Chenoweth , Tim Armbruster and
Lil' Kim . Another popular spokesperson was former ''
Vogue '' editor
Carrie Donovan , who often appeared in ads with company "spokesdog," Magic. According to Gap Inc., Magic, an Airedale terrier mix, was rescued from the streets of
San Jose . Magic remains an informal
Mascot of the company, though Donovan has since died.
Old Navy started a contest in
June 2006 to choose a new mascot dog to replace Magic through a nationwide search contest. Paco, a mixed breed male from Venice Beach, California, was announced as the new Old Navy mascot on
July 23 ,
2006 .
''
Jeffersons '' stars
Isabel Sanford and
Sherman Hemsley appeared in a number of Old Navy
Television commercials in the late
1990s and early
2000s until Sanford died.
