SAN FRANCISCO – March 17th, 2008 – On April 15, Gap will debut the second consecutive year of Gap Design Editions, a limited edition collection designed exclusively for Gap by 3.1 Phillip Lim, Band of Outsiders, Michael Bastian, Philip Crangi and threeASFOUR – some of the most celebrated, emerging American design labels in the industry today. As part of Gap’s partnership with the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund (CVFF), Gap Design Editions is an initiative established to support and encourage new American design talent.
"At Gap we're proud of our history of celebrating creativity, supporting emerging talent and inspiring our customers to wear classic American styles. We're thrilled to have the opportunity to support some of America's finest talent and to work with them to reinterpret that most iconic of wardrobe essentials - the classic white shirt," says Gary Muto, President of Gap Adult.
This marks the second year of Gap Design Editions, a limited edition collection specially designed for Gap by the winners of the annual Fashion Fund competition. In 2007 Gap announced a partnership with the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund to introduce up-and-coming young designers to a broader audience by partnering with winners from the annual Fashion Fund competition. Designers created their own unique interpretations of the classic white shirt – an iconic item that has been part of Gap’s heritage for more than thirty-five years. Additionally, this year’s Gap Design Editions include menswear and jewelry in black and white variations to complement the white shirts. The collection will be available exclusively in flagship and top Gap adult stores in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Japan and online in the U.S. at gap.com. Items will range in price from $35 to $88.
"As a partner in the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Gap is committed to extending the creative talent of CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund designers with Gap Design Editions. The collection reflects true originality and demonstrates that innovate design is affordable at every price point," said CFDA Executive Director Steven Kolb.
3.I phillip lim
Designer Phillip Lim studied finance at California State University of Long before an internship with Katayone Adeli led to a full time job as design assistant. From there he went on to co-found the label Development, where Lim was the head designer for four years. Lim debuted his eponymous collection, 3.I phillip lim, in the fall of 2005 to instant success, and was nominated as a finalist for the prestigious 2006 Fashion Fund Award. In 2006 Lim introduced both menswear and kid by phillip lim, the pint size version of his signature women’s collection, while summer brought the first free standing 3.I phillip lim store on Mercer Street in NYC. In 2007 Lim was honored with the CFDA Swarovski Award for emerging talent in womenswear, his recognition for being a finalist for the Fashion Design Award of Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and a runner-up for the 2007 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award.
“I’ve always been a fan of the classics and I love everything iconic,” said Lim. “My motto is when in doubt just choose good style and Gap to me is synonymous with that. Gap represents American iconic dressing and just to have the chance to design three white shirts and having my take on it was so fun.”
Band of Outsiders
Band of Outsiders is a Los Angeles based brand founded by Scott Sternberg in January 2004. The core men's collection is designed as an ever-growing archive of re-interpreted American menswear classics: shirts, ties, jackets, knits, and hand-tailored suits and outerwear. The Band of Outsiders brand is approached as a vessel for an ever-growing archive of ideas and projects that draw from the same sense of nostalgia, balanced with a drive for innovation and quality. So far, these projects include a shoe collaboration with Sperry Top-Sider, a resurrection of the Scottish cashmere brand Glenmac, and a menswear-inspired women's collection, Boy by Band of Outsiders.
Scott was very excited about his most recent collaboration with Gap: “I think the Gap for me growing up was this sort of depot of great jeans, great sweaters; just the best basics that were out there so I was just trying to create something that felt very easy but fresh and modern.”
MICHAEL BASTIAN
Michael Bastian was born in Lyons, New York, a small Upstate town near Lake Ontario. After graduating from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, he moved to New York City, where his first job was as an Assistant Buyer at Abraham & Strauss. This was followed by positions within Sotheby's, Tiffany & Co., Polo Ralph Lauren, and most recently, Bergdorf Goodman, where he was the men's fashion director for five years. It was this experience that led Bastian to launch his own men's wear line, MICHAEL BASTIAN. Now in its fourth season, MICHAEL BASTIAN is carried in over 40 retail locations in America, Canada, Japan, England and the Middle East. Bastian was nominated for the CFDA Newcomer Menswear Designer of the Year in 2007, and is a finalist for this year's CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award. He has recently been appointed Creative Director for Menswear at Bill Blass, to be launched with the Fall/Winter 2008 collection.
“I'm so proud to be able to do this with Gap -- to be the first Men's designer to do a shirt for men, as well as being able to design my first piece ever for women, is amazing!” said Michael Bastian.
PHILIP CRANGI
After graduating from RISD, jewelry designer Philip Crangi and his sister- and partner- Courtney Crangi began creating unique objects and jewelry from their New York City studio. In 2001, the Crangi’s launched their fine jewelry collection. Using materials not often associated with traditional fine jewelry design, they created a signature collection combining age-old techniques with a unique palette of gold, wrought iron and steel. Through this process, Philip Crangi crafts impeccably detailed heirloom pieces, which reflect the very personal style of the wearer, while at the same time creating classics for a new era. Philip Crangi Jewelry now produces five lines of jewelry in their New York studio, ranging from costume to custom fine jewelry. Crangi has always drawn his inspiration from history; Greco-Roman artifacts, Baroque ironwork, and Japanese armor are but a few of the references found in his work.
"To be able to do things for Gap is amazing. I feel like it’s a real clean slate. I feel like I can go in there and really state the aesthetic of Gap jewelry which is exciting,” said Crangi.
threeASFOUR
threeASFOUR was established in 2005 by three designers: Gabi Asfour, Adi Gil, and Angela Donhauser. The company initially began in 1998 as a foursome under the name ASFOUR, which is Gabi’s last name and an organic reference to the groups distinctive, creative chemistry. After the departure of their fourth member in 2005, the company naturally evolved into threeASFOUR. Innovation through collaboration drives the creative threesome. threeASFOUR consistently creates silhouettes that are inspired by the natural world - the anatomy of the human body, plants, and animals, whose graceful forms exemplify perfection in design, balance and motion. With a constant vision of fashion meets art in mind, the threesome utilize their signature three-dimensional approach to cut and construction to create a collection that redefines classical tailoring.
In 2007, threeASFOUR was one of ten finalists in the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, and has received extensive editorial acclaim in publications such as Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Elle, WWD, I.D., Paper Magazine, as well as international media.
“It’s a big honor to do such a big thing and to have people recognize you…and it’s great for people to have a little peek at a designer they can afford. I think it’s a great deal,” said Asfour. Equally excited partner Gil added: “When you make a clothing line it’s really nice to have it accessible to people.”
To celebrate Gap Design Editions, Gap is introducing a print campaign developed by Laird+Partners and shot by acclaimed fashion photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. The black and white photos capture the designers in intimate portraits alongside models Lily Donaldson, Chanel Iman, Du Juan, Doutzen Kroes, Irina Lazareanu, Catherine McNeil, Anya Rubik and Jessica Stam. Each model is featured in one of Gap’s limited edition white shirts. The portraits will be featured in select Gap stores nationwide, as well as in print and outdoor ads in select markets.
Gap is also partnering with the CFDA and Vogue to host an exclusive event in New York City on April 14, 2008. The event will be co-hosted by Vogue editors Sally Singer & Meredith Melling Burke along with Men’s Vogue editor Bonnie Morrison held at Rockefeller Center. Phillip Lim, Band of Outsiders’ Scott Sternberg, Michael Bastian, Philip Crangi and threeASFOUR’s Gabi Asfour, Adi Gil, Angela Donhauser will be honored at the event.
The CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund holds an annual competition that provides business mentoring and financial awards to emerging fashion designers. Since its inception in 2003, the program has granted nearly $1.2 million to twelve different design concerns, including Derek Lam, Doo.Ri Chung, Proenza Schouler, Rodarte, Rogan Gregory and Thom Browne.
About Gap Inc.
Gap Inc. is a leading international specialty retailer offering clothing, accessories and personal care products for men, women, children and babies under the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, and Piperlime brand names. Fiscal 2007 sales were $15.8 billion. Gap Inc. operates more than 3,100 stores in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Ireland and Japan. In addition, Gap Inc. is expanding its international presence with franchise agreements for Gap and Banana Republic in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. For more information, please visit gapinc.com.
About CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund
The CFDA/VOGUE Fashion Fund was established to help emerging American design talent find continued success in the business of fashion. In addition to cash prizes of $200,000 to the winner and $50,000 each to the two runners-up, the award includes mentorship from a panel of industry professionals whose expertise is tailored to the designers’ needs and future goals.
Don’t miss out on the latest Gap Inc. news! Sign-up to get email alerts about news on Gap Inc. and our brands.