Guess the Struggling Company That Pays Four of its Executives Way Over $20 Million

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Damn, it feels good to be a fashion executive...or so we imagine based solely on their salaries. WWD has identified and ranked the industry's top earners: fashion ballers whose paychecks hit above the $5 million mark in 2011. There are 67.

The numbers are impressive? Frightening? Mindboggling? Mindboggling. WWD speculates that the reasoning behind the increasingly high salaries is the huge demand for talent and not that many talented people. (Noted.) Also, these total salary numbers include stocks and option grants, so it's not all cash money. But still.

After the jump find out who surprisingly takes four out of ten of the top slots, plus the rest of the top 20 earners.

JC Penney stacked the top ten with four of its execs: Ron Johnson comes in first out of all 67 with a whopping $53 million, and the "poorest" JC Penney exec, the chief talent officer Daniel Walker, is number 9 on the full list and still breaks $20 mill by a wide margin. The retailer's overhaul better go over well, because those are some very expensive heads that will roll. Now for the top 20:

1. Ron Johnson, CEO JCPenney
Total 2011 Pay: $53,281,505

2. Michael Jeffries, Chairman and CEO, Abercrombie & Fitch
Total 2011 Pay: $48,069,473

3. Neil Cole, President and CEO, Iconix
Total 2011 Pay: $37,424,782

4. Ralph Lauren, Chairman and CEO, Ralph Lauren
Total 2011 Pay: $36,325,782

5. Mark Parker, Ceo and President, Nike
Total 2011 Pay: $35,212,678

6. Myron "Mike" E. Ullman, III, former Chairman and CEO, JCPenney
Total 2011 Pay: $34,561,322

7. Michael Kramer, CEO JCPenney
Total 2011 Pay: $33,370,607

8. Reed Krakoff, President and Executive Creative Director, Coach
Total 2011 Pay: $21,188,980

9. Daniel Walker, Chief Talent officer, JCPenney
Total 2011 Pay: $20,201,219

10. Gregg Steinhafel, chairman, President and CEO, Target
Total 2011 Pay: $19,707,107

11. Roger Farah, President and Chief Operating Officer, Ralph Lauren
Total 2011 Pay: $19,300,161

12. Leslie Wexner, Chairman and CEO, Limited
Total 2011 Pay: $19,230,484

13. Mike Duke, President and CEO, Wal-Mart
Total 2011 Pay: $18,131,738

14. Terry Lundgren, Chairman, President, and CEO, Macy's
Total 2011 Pay: $17,650,702

15. James O'Donnell, former CEO, American Eagle
Total 2011 Pay: $14,404,763

16. Paul Marciano, CEO and Vice Chairman, Guess
Total 2011 Pay: $14,399,134

17. Maurice Marciano, Chairman, Guess
Total 2011 Pay: $13,819,266

18. Alex Dillard, President, Dillard's
Total 2011 Pay: $12,740,952

19. Michael Balmuth, Vice Chairman and CEO, Ross
Total 2011 Pay: $12,478,239

20. Lew Frankfort, Chairman and CEO, Coach
Total 2011 Pay: $12,391,474

· Fashion's Talent Race: Executive Pay Soars [WWD via Fashionista]
· All JC Penney Coverage [Racked]