Director, Fabric R&D, Material Innovation - Banana Republic

About Gap Inc.

At Gap Inc., we create culture as much as we create clothes. Our ambition is to become a high-performing house of iconic American brands that shape culture.

At Gap Inc., we create culture as much as we create clothes. Our ambition is to become a high-performing house of iconic American brands that shape culture.

Our portfolio—Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta—each brings a distinct point of view to how we show up in the world and serve our customers.

Old Navy democratizes style with quality and value for all. Gap champions originality through essential pieces that celebrate individuality. Banana Republic is rooted in a spirit of discovery, creating modern pieces inspired by craftsmanship and travel. Athleta champions the Power of She through confidence, strength, and movement.

We’re driven by a shared purpose: to bridge gaps—between people, perspectives, and possibilities—to create a better world.

We’re building a team that performs at a high level—people who think boldly, take ownership, and turn ideas into impact. If you’re ready to learn fast and help shape what’s next, you’ll fit right in.

Reporting to the Vice President, Materials R&D, you will lead an R&D Materials team responsible for translating the brand(s) aesthetic into clear, executable material strategies that support product creation and innovation. A key part of this role is serving as a strategic partner to Design, ensuring fabric and material development begins with and supports the creative vision of the brand. You will work closely with Design teams from concept through development to identify, create, and evolve fabrics that bring design intent to life.

You will leverage consumer insights, mill partnerships, and key material trends to drive fabric development, innovation, costing, and positioning across the brand portfolio. You will champion a ‘Fabric First’ mentality, ensuring material innovation plays a central role throughout the product-to-market process. This role connects creative vision with technical execution, guiding the development of fabrics that elevate brand storytelling, performance, and commercial success.

You will also support the development and execution of the mill network strategy, maintain strong supplier relationships, and help advance the company’s sustainability goals through the integration of responsible materials and processes.

You will provide direction and strategic thought partnership to internal teams in North America, while collaborating closely with Mill Management and Fabric Engineering teams in Asia to ensure alignment with cross-functional strategies, global sourcing capabilities, and sustainability objectives.

• Partner closely with Design as a primary collaborator, translating design vision into seasonal fabric strategies and leading the identification and development of materials that support the brand’s creative direction.
• Manage and mentor a team of R&D specialists, working in close collaboration with Design, Merchandising, Product Development, and Production cross-functional partners.
• Analyze fabric needs across the company and communicate recommendations to cross-functional partners to leverage fabric qualities across divisions, while maintaining and tracking all components of the fabric and wash resource library to support seasonal inspiration and archive platformed fabrics.
• Drive fabric innovation by identifying new constructions, finishes, dye techniques, and mill capabilities that support the brand’s creative direction and evolving consumer needs.
• Explore and integrate emerging digital tools and innovation platforms that enhance textile research, fabric discovery, and material knowledge management, enabling the team to leverage data and technology to accelerate development and support smarter decision-making.
• Track fabric development KPIs and maintain brand discipline around the number of seasonal developments, fabric testing, reporting, and risk-assessment tools to align expectations across functional areas.
• Partner with Product Development and Merchandising to ensure fabrics align with the Value/Good/Better/Best pricing architecture…