Welcome to Made in the Hamptons , I’m your host Jill Laurence and this week I have a wonderful conversation with the man regarded as the merchant prince, former gap and JCrew CEO, Mickey Drexler.

Mickey opens up about his early days in the retail industry at big names such as Bloomingdales and Ann Taylor, where he would sharpen his skills to move onto a pivotal role at the Gap. During his tenure he created the mega brand Old Navy, which would soar to unimaginable popularity, turning the Gap brand from a failing jean shop to an $18billion retail giant.

Things would take drastic turn though as Mickey would be ousted from the company and you’ll never believe who delivered the startling news.

He would soon rebound at JCrew, where he also created the Madewell brand, turning the struggling preppy retailer into a design darling and favorite among the budding influencer industry. Today, he is a partner at Alex Mill, a brand the embodies the timeless and attainable design that Mickey is long known for.

We also chatted about Mickey’s impressive real estate collection namely his love for renovating historical homes in the Hamptons, one of which was Montauk’s Eothen, the former long time estate of Andy Warhol, which has entertained such famous names as Jackie Onassis, The Rolling Stones, John Lennon, Halston and many more.

I found it to be a wonderful conversation about resiliency, determination and hard work and I think you will really enjoy it as well. So without further ado, my conversation with Mickey Drexler.

Made in the Hamptons podcast celebrates dynamic leaders and tastemakers, their stories, and how The Hamptons has played an important role in all of it.

Host: Jill Laurence

Production: @madeinthehamptonsmedia

Website: madeinthehamptonsmedia.com