Wet Seal President, COO Resigns After 3 Months

Wet Seal Inc.’s president and chief operating officer has resigned after less than three months on the job, the Foothill Ranch apparel chain said Tuesday.

Christopher G. Staff and Wet Seal were “not a good fit,” Chief Executive Kathy Bronstein said in a news release. He had come to Wet Seal from Warnaco Group Inc.’s Authentic Fitness unit, which makes swimwear and athletic apparel.

Staff’s departure is the latest high-level switch for the specialty retailer, which sells clothes for girls and young women. Former President Edmond Thomas, who had been with Wet Seal since 1992, resigned in October. Two days after Staff was hired to replace him in mid-June, Ann Cadier-Kim resigned as chief financial officer. She had been with the company 15 years.

Richard Jaffe, an analyst with UBS Warburg, said Staff’s departure should have no bearing on the company’s performance.

“The company’s not going to run upon the rocks just because this new guy didn’t work out,” Jaffe said. “Better to admit your mistakes early on and get on with it.”

Wet Seal’s stock closed Tuesday at $18.70, down 68 cents a share, in Nasdaq trading.

Wet Seal logged one of the strongest second quarters among apparel retailers this year. Its earnings shot up almost eightfold as girls and young women snapped up its fashion denim products.

Staff’s duties will be assumed by Bronstein and Walter Parks, the company’s executive vice president and chief financial officer. Bronstein, Parks and Staff could not be reached for comment.

Wet Seal operates 561 stores in 44 states. In addition to its namesake stores, the company also operates Contempo Casuals, Arden B. and Zutopia stores.