Mickey Drexler is a prominent retail executive born on August 17, 1944, to Jewish parents in the Bronx, New York City. His mother passed away when he was 16. He attended Bronx High School of Science and City College of New York, earning a Bachelor of Science from the University at Buffalo and an MBA from Boston University School of Business. Drexler's career began in the mid-1970s as merchandising vice president at Abraham & Straus in Brooklyn, followed by roles at AnnTaylor, Bloomingdale's, and Macy's. He rose to CEO of Gap Inc., where he drove the company's 1990s growth through private label merchandise and expansions like Old Navy. After leaving Gap in 2002, he served as Chairman and CEO of J.Crew Group from 2003 to June 5, 2017 (CEO), remaining chairman until January 18, 2019, during which he repositioned the brand as upscale. Other roles include board member at Apple Inc. from 1999 to 2015, CEO of Alex Mill (as of 2021), and head of Drexler Ventures. He is the father of Alex Mill's founder. Drexler formerly resided in San Francisco, California, before moving to New York City. Notable controversies include 2010 shareholder lawsuits alleging shady dealings and a $16 million personal benefit in a J.Crew deal, a 2018 clash leading to the exit of J.Crew CEO James Brett, and involvement in the 2020 implosion of startup Outdoor Voices as its chairman.