The Wal-Mart executive who tried to dress up the no-frills discount retailer in skinny jeans and sateen bedsheets has resigned, the company said Friday, after shoppers failed to respond to the trendy new merchandise.

Claire Watts, executive vice president of apparel merchandising, will leave her post next week to pursue “other career interests,” Wal-Mart spokeswoman Sarah Clark said.

Her departure highlights the troubles that have befallen Wal-Mart’s foray into fashion. The strategy was intended to attract more affluent shoppers and encourage existing customers to buy more than just cheap toilet paper and laundry detergent. But the company moved too quickly, suffering from distribution troubles and poor reception in the nation’s heartland. Sales at stores open at least a year, a key measure of health in retail, have been largely tepid, with apparel and home sales dragging down performance.