Gap sacks Patrick Robinson as chief designer

[sazon]

very ironic, as just yesterday I took a stroll around GAP.

Now I've always loved GAP, since I was 17 back in '89. Took me thru my 20s and early 30s.

You can do the math of how old I is now, but I said to myself yesterday as I walked around the store "this place has either reallllly lost it, or I have finally outgrown GAP"

Prolly a little of both I guess.

 

[gladhands]

I'm going to assume that the problem was lack of freedom. As others have stated, the slim-fit chinos and selvedge denim offer great value, and the kids clothes are great (on sale). The larger problem it that there's too much overlap between Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic. Before any of those brands can be resurrected, they first need to be differentiated.

 

[jimmyfingers]

Originally Posted by gladhands

I'm going to assume that the problem was lack of freedom. As others have stated, the slim-fit chinos and selvedge denim offer great value, and the kids clothes are great (on sale). The larger problem it that there's too much overlap between Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic. Before any of those brands can be resurrected, they first need to be differentiated.

I find the three stores to have a pretty big overlap as well. Gap does have some decent looking pieces, but they are fairly expensive for what you get in terms of quality. Myself, and many others would prefer to spend the extra money and get a quality garment.

 

[impolyt_one]

I'll do it (if you're reading this... Gap Inc)

 

[Alcibiades]

In high school (late 1990s through 2000), I remember Gap as a place to get good basics. Some of their plaid or striped shirts were OK. Their shorts were OK. They were affordable and the quality was decent as someone who didn't know much better.

In college and through my first internships, I moved up to Banana Republic for stuff like khakis and basic shirts. BR seemed pretty popular from 2003 or so through 2006. However, at that point I had no reason to go to Gap.

I've visited the GAP store every so often whenever they got mentioned in magazines or whatever. The quality is not good, the designs inferior to stuff like J Crew or their own Banana Republic stores. The kids have moved on to Hollister, Aerostaple, American Eagle, Abercrombie, et all. Gap's old market doesn't seem to exist anymore

 

[Dbear]

I honestly can't remember the last time I've been in a gap, could be 7+ years ago.

As for this guy...being the Chief Designer @ Gap for 4 years and failing miserably means he was paid very well and probably left with a hefty severance package. Can't say I feel sorry for the guy.

 

[Makeshift_Robot]

Sucks to design for a company that doesn't have a brand identity and whose consumer base is "boring white people in sparse parts of America." Sucks that a dude got fired. But good god those clothes were/are awful.

 

[sonick]

That's unfortunate, there were a few items in the past few years that were pretty nice, but for the most part their stuff was bland and low quality.

Things like their gingham and chambray of last summer, and also their selvedge rinsed denim were very nice. They also used to have fitted dress shirts that were very well made with nice materials, but lately it's all been thin, flaccid-colllared shirts and baggy plain sweaters.

 

[quasky]

i dunno, i've actually had some decent experiences with gap stuff recently. picked up a couple jackets on the cheap ($30-$40 range) that i've been really happy with, both in terms of fit and quality. nice, slim fit, and using decent hardware (ideal/conmar zips). they did a collegiate-style jacket last season that's a reasonable substitute for the same ervell piece at, like, a sixth of the price, and an m65 that had some very nice detailing considering it came from the gap.

anyways, sucks dude got canned.