THE MOMENT: SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST (SXSW), MARCH 2022
WHAT MATTERED: THE CONVERSATIONS, THE LOOKS, THE ART!
What happened in Austin, isn’t staying in Austin.
Through the Create With Audacity movement, over twenty of our designers rolled up to SXSW to immerse themselves in American music, art, technology, and culture. Because what better way to practice human-centered design, than to center ourselves around human insights, input, and inspiration?
Plus, Gap Inc.’s Head of Blockchain Sudhakar Potineni repped us at SXSW’s Block Space panel, where he explored our work in the intersection of retail + the metaverse and shared insight into Gap’s latest NFT collections.
Scroll to peek at moments from the week.
“This was a reminder that it takes only one person to create motion. Every decision I make as a designer impacts the lives of multiple people. We must all push for strategic improvements in materials sourcing, reduce strike-off requests, and produce stylized product lines that reduce the amount of dyestuff output and fabric waste.” — Yvez Louise, Associate Designer, Old Navy
“I’m grateful that SXSW provided us a venue to talk about the bleeding edge work Gap Inc. is doing within the crypto space and how other brands can begin to participate. It was also great to hear about the latest developments within blockchain and metaverse." — Sudhakar Potineni, Head of Blockchain Initiatives, Gap Inc.
“One of my favorite moments was when our crew took a minute to pause while surrounded by light in the James Turrell Skyspace, The Color Inside. We also roamed together though the galleries at the Blanton Museum of Art, and were drawn to the work of Oscar Muñoz, whose retrospective included large scale immersive installations that play with light and shadow. And Ellsworth Kelly’s Temple for Light, simply titled “Austin,” felt like being in a kaleidoscope of light and color reminiscent of the city’s vibrancy.” — Nina Sturmfels, Senior Designer, Athleta
“There was a constant theme: the power of connection and community in our current world where physical and digital boundaries continue to blur. How can we harness our learnings to not only create with audacity, but also implement and scale sustainable practices while also forming lasting connections with our diverse customers?
As designers, it's imperative to pause to absorb culture. Ultimately, this practice gives us the power to innovate and build the world we want to see.” — Julia Han, Associate Designer, Banana Republic
“One of the most profound challenges we will face this decade is figuring out how to protect the messy, complicated, beautiful essence of what it means to be humans in an increasingly digital-first world, and find a balance between embracing new technologies, and promoting real-world interactions." — Melissa Lawrence, Sr. Manager, Cultural Strategy, Athleta
“A quote that stands out is, 'Free your mind and the rest will follow.' That’s exactly what the CWA movement has done for me. It has freed my mind and allowed me the white space needed to authentically create.” — Matt Cox, Designer, Boys Outerwear, Shirts, & Wovens, Old Navy
“I wasn’t surprised to hear that 7 out of 10 people don’t believe they are living up to their creative potential. For creative leaders, finding success requires building a culture where it’s safe to take risks. For individuals, it means stepping out of comfort and consensus, and instead leaning into new perspectives.
That’s the mindset that Gap Inc. is tapping into through the CWA movement. Courage, curiosity, imagination, and boundary-breaking ideas. That’s how we’ll stay in sync with our customers and design products for tomorrow.” — Anika Bobb, Senior Manager, Creative Strategy & Operations
Browse the MTM series to see moments that inspire creativity and connection within our teams. Want to experience them yourself? Join us
Don’t miss out on the latest Gap Inc. news! Sign-up to get email alerts about news on Gap Inc. and our brands.