Gap gets new design chief for namesake brand

Sept 17 (Reuters) - Gap Inc on Monday named Rebekka Bay as creative director and executive vice president for Gap global design, with responsibility for product sales online and in more than 1,000 stores in 42 countries.

The announcement comes within a week of the retailer's naming ex J.C. Penney Co Inc marketing chief Michael Francis as an adviser, and is the latest in a number of changes at the top executive level, under the guidance of Chief Executive Glenn Murphy.

Gap has managed a successful turnaround in its merchandise, and is now seeing rising sales after years of losing customers to more trendy and affordable rivals.

In May, it hired former H&M executive Stefan Larsson to lead its Old Navy brand.

Bay will be in charge of Gap women's, men's, 1969, accessories and Body lines worldwide. An acclaimed designer, she is credited with conceptualizing the high-end COS brand, which is part of Hennes & Mauritz company.

She served as creative director at the Danish retailer Bruuns Bazaar since 2011, overseeing the design of women's and men's apparel, Gap said in a statement.

Bay, who takes over October 1, will be based in New York and report to Art Peck, president of the brand's North American division and Gap International president Stephen Sunnucks.