SAN FRANCISCO – August 3, 2010 – Gap today announced it will open a new creative design office in Los Angeles – a first for Gap, introduce a new Fall collection of jeans ‘with attitude’ and launch an immersive digital hub on jeans curated by designers, fashion experts and musicians at www.Gap1969.com.
Since the collection’s debut last August, when Gap jeans were reinvented on every level including fit, fabric, wash and technical details – customers have delighted in the jeans which fit and feel like premium priced denim but start at $59.50. Gap has since expanded the 1969 Premium Jeans collection to babyGap, GapKids and GapMaternity so that every Gap customer can enjoy styles like women’s Always Skinny, men’s Authentic or a kid’s Playdate Straight.
"Over the past year, it’s been exciting to see millions of customers try on and fall in love with our 1969 Premium Jeans,” said Marka Hansen, president of Gap, North America. “We know we have the best fitting premium jeans at an accessible price in the marketplace and we’ll continue to focus on this innovation especially as we bring our entire denim team to Los Angeles to live and work in the creative hub of the denim industry."
For fall 2010, Gap will continue to grow the line and is introducing new jeans styles featuring details like hardware, zippers and artwork including the Zip Crop Always Skinny, Wing Graffiti Always Skinny, Graphic Cuffed Real Straight and the New Stretch Legging Jean for women, all starting at $69.50. For men, Gap is introducing black coated and extreme washes in the Boot, Straight and Skinny fits, as well as adding back pocket details to select men’s styles, all starting at $59.50. Each month throughout the fall, Gap will add new styles to the 1969 line highlighting extreme leg shapes – from the legging jean to wide leg styles.
To continue to inspire creativity, in mid-August Gap will open its 5,400 square foot 1969 office in downtown Los Angeles, the heart of the denim industry. The new location, on Olive and Pico, will house everything from design and merchandising to tech services, wash development and production and will be run by Rosella Giuliani, newly appointed 1969 creative director. By opening this office, Gap will be able to offer innovative new styles and washes more quickly, ensuring customers can always find the latest trends.
Building on the momentum of 1969’s success, over the past year Gap has opened dedicated 1969 stores in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, which are anchored in 1969 jeans and feature a hand-selected assortment of fashion-forward pieces from Gap’s seasonal collections, including a denim table where customers can touch and feel every fit, wash and size. Gap has also updated almost 200 of its stores across the US to feature a dedicated 1969 destination with styles in one place, merchandised with tops and key accessories that complement 1969 jeans.
Building on the brand’s core philosophy of individual expression, the Put the ‘It’ in Fit advertising campaign will highlight new details in the fall denim collection – like Stretch (New Stretch Legging), Wash (Dirty Wash Sexy Boot), Zip (Zip Crop Always Skinny) and Roll (Graphic Cuffed Real Straight). The campaign, developed by Laird + Partners, will run in the August issues of Allure, Details, Elle, GQ, Glamour, InStyle, Lucky, Vanity Fair and Vogue, and will be featured in Gap stores, online at gap.com and various outdoor locations in select markets.
To further engage shoppers, the brand also launched the ultimate destination for denim fans online at Gap1969.com. Named 1969 Stream, and created in partnership with AKQA, the site offers new denim styles, tips on how to wear the latest looks and shop for the perfect Gap 1969 fit. Curated by designers, fashion insiders, musicians, trend setters and Gap fans, visitors can explore the range of Gap 1969 in an endless stream through interactive experiences and videos. The site features exclusive content from fashion authorities like Elle to style communities like Chictopia to influential bloggers like the Sartorialist. Gap fans can contribute to the 1969 Stream by submitting photos and comments via Facebook and Twitter, and by participating in various denim-themed online challenges.
In addition, Gap adult stores across the country will host a special shopping event on August 5 featuring a sneak peek of the upcoming documentary, Blue Gold: The Story of American Jeans. The documentary, which will officially be released in 2011, includes interviews with celebrities, musicians, designers, curators, historians and collectors commenting on the power and spirit of jeans in America and the impact jeans have on their lives, from both a fashion and personal expression perspective. It includes interviews with the Gap’s founding family, the Fishers, and Patrick Robinson, EVP of Global Design for Gap, as well as music from singer/songwriters Truth & Salvage Co. To further drive engagement, consumers have a chance to win a cameo in the film by telling their jeans story.
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ABOUT GAP INC.
Gap Inc. is a leading global specialty retailer offering clothing, accessories and personal care products for men, women, children and babies under the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta brand names. Fiscal 2009 sales were $14.2 billion. Gap Inc. operates about 3,100 stores in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Japan and Ireland. In addition, Gap Inc. is expanding its international presence with franchise agreements in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. For more information, please visit www.gapinc.com.
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