If you are a transatlantic traveller, someone who goes back and forth between Europe and the States, you may have been a little baffled as to why the stuff you see in Gap in US doesn’t quite match up with Gap as we know it in Europe, or more relevantly the UK. For a while now, half of Gap’s European stock has been unique – i.e. it’s only available in Europe and not the states, an initiative instilled by Steven Sunnucks, Gap’s UK president. Given the more fashion forward climate and the competition from European chains, Gap have had no choice but to install a separate European design team to bring us Euro-peeps something more fashion-worthy than the basics offered in the States. Basically veering away from what Gap are known for.
I’ve always thought this was somewhat of a dodgy move precisely because I know what Gap are useful for (a good t-shirt, some ok-ish jeans) and when they start offering something a bit more fashion-forward/fancy schmancy, I also know I can get better design somewhere else. In other words, it’s a little confusing and I think the still-flagging sales in the UK reflect this market confusion.
Nonetheless, the Gap have decided to push forward with the US and Europe separation. From this fall onwards, the collections stocked in Europe will be entirely separate from the offerings in the US and this is what we will be getting. Fashion Inc has given us a selection of sneak preview pics from the Gap presentation show a few weeks ago shown to UK journalists. The brains behind the collection certains packs a few punches. The collection was designed with the consultation of Marie-Amelie Sauve (pictured with Charlotte Gainsbourg and Nicholas Ghesquiere), Vogue Paris fashion editor and muse/design consultant to Nicholas Ghersquiere at Balenciaga. The other consultant could also have been Phoebe Philo, ex-Chloe designer, seeing as she is rumoured to have been Gap consulting for yonks now. It would certainly explain why a series of very Chloe-esque, girly, flirty summer dresses (UK ppl must have seen those newspaper ads…) have suddenly popped up in stores.
It’s hard to tell without some better close-ups and I suppose one must take into account styling tricks, but it does seem that the two formidable design consultants have come up with something distinctly un-Gap. A New York urban wearability crossed with English country quirk. If I’ve been secretly coveting Gap’s summer dresses, some of this stuff is even more impressive.
My gripe though, and I’m feeling it on behalf of US ppl is why make it ONLY available in Europe? Survey may say that American tastes are more conservative but why not let the US consumer decide for themselves and have the choice. Surely the big bosses at Gap haven’t lumped the entire USA into one category that are only into buying t-shirts and dresses. Surely, with the recent success of the Design Editions white shirt range by Thakoon, Doo.Ri and Rodarte (managed to snag the Thakoon petal dress and Rodarte bow dress over the weekend…woop dee doo…), the Gap customer base has demonstrated an appetite for high fashion-inspired clothes?
It will still be interesting to see whether Gap’s fortunes in Europe change for the better come fall and if Gap continue to go along the route of aiming higher fashion-wise, perhaps they should be more democratic and just offer it globally.
hey, wait, i want a cooler gap too…
but I don’t think they’re middle America customer base would allow such a quick change
I live in the U.S. and I find the offerings at the Gap quite mediocre and boring. Their jeans have never fit me well, and I can find good basics elsewhere for less. I’m curious and can’t wait to see how the Gap’s spring line looks when I visit London next week! I read that they keep the U.S. prices on the price tags and that everything is more expensive than in the U.S., especially since the dollar is so weak right now.
wow i am excited
and yes i saw one of their adverts in the times recently and am now planning to visit gap on thurs so its working for me!
yeah! like opening a store in Romania too!!!
It’s so hard to live whit Mango as your “coolest” clothes store..it’s not enough!!!
Agreed 100%!! I live in a very conservative southern state in America, where the GAP amazingly, is still considered high taste. Obviously choices are limited, and most girls dressed in the Abercrombie vein because that’s one of the few stores we have. No H&M, but I think this may be a good thing because it makes me more creative in dressing (thrift shopping, sewing myself).
However small in number I may, doesn’t excuse the fact that I am a paying customer and deserve the same choices as Europeans!
I’m with you on the new designs, despite the un-Gap like design, I’m definately coveting several items.
You know, this makes me hate Gap more and more. A few years ago, I found their clothes midly likeable, until I turned to vintage instead. Now once in a while something catches my eye, but I will never pay full price for it. Everything goes on sale, everything fades, everything will eventually rip. Now this? They must really underestimate their customers. Until they stop treating everyone like Old Navy customers, maybe we will spend more money! I say Boycott the place.
Hi
By the way, there is more from CPH street fashion. I placed the webaddress underneath my name.
Regards
Paul
Hmm…. this is a strange move for the Gap, being as they are losing so much business to H&M and Zara, and Forever21, and thier own line, Old Navy. I don’t get it. That said, American tastes are far, far, more conservative than European, even in more liberal places like San Francsico (which irnoically is where Gap HQ is located). Maybe in the future they’ll bridge the gap, but who knows, they tend to make alot of stupid business decisions lately.
Those things look great on that runway but to me it’s all about the layering and styling. I bet if you saw the individual pieces in the store they’d still be NQT (Not Quite There). I love Gap but it never seems to get it right in terms of sales. While we’re on the subject I wish they’d bring back the basic chino/khaki for girls (and I don’t mean those comedy wide leg ones either).
i guess Canada is getting the less interesting items too. yuck.
..i live in los angeles and i just bought an amazing Thakoon For Gap white shirt dress with puffy sleeves and petal skirt bottom..i’m so happy about these collaborations between designers and Gap..or h&m..or Target..or else i won’t be able to afford anything from Thakoon, Lagerfeld , stella mc cartney…!!;)
You summed it up perfectly by saying that whenever the Gap goes more fashion forward, you can get better design somewhere else. That is exactly their problem. Being all things to all people in the fashion biz is a very hard line to walk.