By Ben Butler
DAVID Jones chief executive Paul Zahra has lost style guru Colette Garnsey to Pacific Brands amid the continuing shake-up of the retailer's top brass.
Pacific Brands hopes Ms Garnsey can revitalise its ailing flagship brand Bonds when she lands at the clothing company early next year.
Ms Garney's exit from David Jones follows last week's resignation of marketing head Damian Eales, who was close to disgraced former David Jones chief executive Mark McInnes, to take up a job at Westpac starting in April.
As general manager of apparel, cosmetics, accessories, footwear and children's wear, Ms Garnsey (pictured), a 20-year David Jones veteran, was responsible for predicting what would open the wallets of the retailer's female clientele and representing the company at events including last month's Caulfield Cup.
But despite her key role she was paid a relatively modest bonus this year: $211,000, or 23 per cent of her base wage.
By contrast, Mr Zahra collected a 66 per cent bonus as group general manager of operations, the role he held until handed the top job in June when Mr McInnes quit after a sexual harassment scandal.
In a statement, Pacific Brands chief executive Sue Morphet said she was thrilled to have Ms Garnsey on board.
Ms Garnsey will be responsible for Pacific Brands' underwear and hosiery division, which has been expanded to include the flagging Bonds brand.
Sales of Bonds fell 4 per cent in 2009-10, and Pacific Brands has decided to throw more resources at the brand.
Ms Garnsey's portfolio of brands will also include Berlei, Holeproof, Jockey, Razzamatazz, Rio and Voodoo.
Bonds head Kate Hahn and underwear chief Ross Taylor, who previously reported to Ms Morphet, will now report to Ms Garnsey.
The departure of Ms Garnsey and Mr Eales has caused a ripple effect at David Jones. The general manager of accessories, footwear and childrenswear, Sacha Laing, has been promoted to Ms Garney's position, while Mr Eales's job as head of both marketing and finance has been split in two.
Marketing will be handled by Brett Riddington, at present general manager of cosmetics, while finance goes to Matthew Durbin, a former merchandising head who has spent the past year looking after David Jones's alliance with American Express.
David Jones shares fell 2 per cent, or 10¢, to close at $4.69 while Pacific Brands finished unchanged at $1.12.