The Decline of The Gap...What Happened?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- In the late 1990's/early 2000's, The Gap was one of the most popular clothing brands out there. They've clearly fallen pretty far from that point and this video attempts to explain why.
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I believe the brand has lost base with its core identity. My impression was that GAP was supposed to be this minimalist cool brand, with high quality basics in neutral tones. But then you go to the store and you see cheap clothes with tacky logos. It’s just dated.
The quality got really cheap and the cut was starting to get unusual, like khakis with french fly (double buttons)......which is usually for dress pants.
I also believe it has to do with both Walmart and Target stepping their game up and getting slightly more fashionable basics at decent prices. Most of the time at lower prices than Gap/Old Navy.
Patrick Riarchy fr I got a sick pair of black jeans at target and while they’re not top quality they’re fairly nice 🤷♀️
I agree with you 100%. I loved their minimalistic look and quality of their clothes but lately, it's been not like that at all. Also, their nearest brick and mortar to me is 1.5 hours drive away where as their other brands are closer.
I Bought a GAP cap last year just for nostalgia sake. The store was empty sad anď depressed
They're way too overpriced. Even for NYC. $50 for some basic ass beige chinos.
💯💯💯
I'm from NYC too, I don't remember about the prices, but I remember never liking the clothing
Bram C and it’s not even ethical clothing. Multiple times they’ve been linked back to sweat shops. If the prices were reflective of better working conditions and quality - fine. But the Gap doesn’t do that.
Their outlets are better. Basically, the same kind of clothes as their regular stores.
So you are the production model that came after me? I am Bram B. (Brouwer)
a lot of companies like gap need to figure out that people don't care about brands and logos on their clothes anymore 💀 nobody cares if u have a shirt that says gap on it or a shirt that has the hollister logo on it, and, in fact, many people would rather have no logos on their clothes at all
Amen, so true!
Then Supreme is selling like crazy?
@@riksinha5 Don't worry he's just speaking out of his butt. The North Face? has a logo and it's doing well. Same thing with Abercrombie & Fitch.
That’s not true. Branding is everything.
They want a walking logo. It’s a marketing strategy that doesn’t really work.
"Most of you don't wear the same clothes you wore in high school"
Sure. Let's go with that.
I'm halfway through college and I'm still wearing the same clothes I did in high school. Why fix a good pair of jeans and graphic tees or polos? It's simple and it works. Saves a hella lot of money too.
@@TheRunningLeopard bro I'm 30 and literally wear some of the same clothes but definitely have the same style and shop at the same stores. Except Deb. God I miss Deb
I have a lot of shirts and jeans from 10+ years ago, problem is I got bigger, a bit fatter and my blasted mother would sneak into my room and throw out/donate my old clothes! Stop trying to make me fashionable mom, I love my old threads! :(
@@cattysplat 😂😂
I'm 32, and i still wear some of my shirts from high school.
company man: "Most of you don't wear the same clothes you wore in high school"
me: *wearing a jacket from high school 20 years ago*
I stand corrected.
Yep I still have a few things from then.
Yep most of my clothes are still the same from HS. That was at least 10 years ago.
I still have and can get into my letterman’s jacket from 1991, Albeit tight but I can get it On
I am literally wearing a 30 year old flannel shirt right now, and it is almost like brand new.
Remember when every kid in Elementary owned a GAP hoodie
ikr
By the time I got mine it was out of fashion and the wrong style. 🤷🏿♂️
Omg yes, I had wanted one so bad😂
@GreaterGood510 Baby, baby
I was one of them. It was lime green.
My sister worked for The Gap back around 2000 when we were in 10th grade and I could tell you why they began declining. When they used to get store deliveries, her and the manager Amy noticed that some of the clothing was coming in straight from the factory out in Asia kinda filthy and some stank to high heaven. I think their cloths were made in Taiwan at the time.They had to take them to the dry cleaners before putting them on store shelves for the customers. Some they couldn’t dry clean and it was sent back to the factory. This went on for a while until news broke that the particular factory that The Gap used mistreated their workers and the factory also had urine and shit all over the floors-it was filthy in that particular factory. They were making the clothing in this filth and on occasion dropping some of the cloths on the floors accidentally, and then shipping them out to stores. When we found out WTF was going on, I NEVER stepped foot into a Gap store EVER! I’m not going to wear a pissy/shitty shirt that had to be dry cleaned to cover up the horrendous conditions the shirt was brought to the store and where they allowed the workers at the factory to be treated like shit while making those clothing items. A lot of people stopped shopping there when that news story broke-nobody trusts them anymore.
Unfortunately the mistreatment of garment workers is not unique to GAP; a lot of fashion companies are guilty of this.
If I worked in that factory I would drop it on purpose as a cry for help.
Ah so that explains why the last BR jeans I got smell so bad I had to take them back.
I forgot that story broke out, sadly it's still common practice with retail.
They opened a new store in my city in May 2019, their sign broke in June, still not repaired, closing at an unspecified time in 2020.
Never been in it, never wanted to.
What city is this new store in?
That's quite unfortunate. Store managers are responsible for building maintenance such as signage. They should have taken care of this right after the sign went out
Bruh go when they closing.... cause really good sales...
GAP... where the highest pinnacle of fashion is looking mediocre
Hey, what city are you in? Curious
Their clothes are just boring as hell. Nobody wants to dress like they’re a cast member of Friends
Stuff at Walmart or Target is more fashionable in some cases.
Why not? I guess I'm just not sure what "we" want to dress like.
Spot on
opticnirvana the general consensus is that people don’t want to wear the same exact clothes they did in the 90s
90s fashion is coming back actually, clothes Rachael wore in Friends at actually really in but Rachel shopped in Barney’s back then lol. Barney’s is also down
I grew up loving The Gap and I still do but only shop when there’s a big sale because I agree $70 is a lot for jeans from The Gap. I like Banana because it gives me a lot of options for work or church but both of their prices are so high that I tend to look at other stores too
They used to offer better quality items.
Trust me, it's been at least 16 years since I got a gap or navy. They cost a lot for a pants or shirt! Ppppfftt, after that I went to flea markets or just went to a thrift store.
I think we're at a point in modern hipster fashion where it would just take one icon to wear Gap and it would be cool again. If FILA can make a comeback anything can
thank gods I never based my fashion on what celeb's wear.....also celebrity is dead....that age died in 2020 when many bent the knee....unless we've already forgotten?
we are the free folk, we don't bend the knee here, those with no power bend the knee....
"no gods, no kings only man"
-Andrew Ryan
just saying you can bow and have no free thought or be independent and choose, Andrew also said a slave obeys, a man chooses
@@darthXreven uh?
@@Mmmald397 the short version
I don't value celebs dictating my fashion, others can do as they like but for me I've stuck to the same style from when I was a teen mainly cus aside from a couple things nothing's changed in 30 years
used to wear JNCO's now i wear army issue pants
used to wear rock T-shirts, still do but now i have more game & comics shirts too
I still wear boots
used to wear bandannas on occasion, now i wear bandannas as headbands so when i sweat it doesn't get in my eyes
I've always been a punker, an outsider and never let stores or celebs dictate what i wear
@@darthXreven short version longer than long one
@@Mmmald397 well dip me in hot lave hung by the toes then....
Gap was where the “rich” kids I went to school with shopped..
Same so when my family finally had money to shop there I walked in and went ???? It’s not that great???
There is not rich people in public schools. I bet if they move out to Europe or New York they would be average
Hi, Welcome to chilli's k I said “rich”
All the rich kids in my high school shopped at Abercrombie and Fitch.
@@EvansSt83
In my highschool all I heard were "Gucci" this and "Gucci" that, Im not a girl that keeps up with fashion much at all, I just buy whats cheap and looks good but I always assumed Gucci was the premier "rich kid" brand.
The GAP in the 90s was the best store! It was definitely my go to store! Now they don’t have variety and pricey for the quality. It makes me sad:(
Baby Gap was amazing. Beautiful, thick pea coats, warm sweaters, blankets, and big fluffy hats that far exceeded the quality of other brands. I love Baby Gap👼🏽
“ Levi’s records and tapes” so The Gap was Urban Outfitters before Urban Outfitters
they even used the same logo font
That was very common in the 1980's and early 90's to sell tapes ,records and other stuff like that at a clothing store.
vaderladyl that makes me think of newbury comics, the only place I know of to do that today. Haven't seen any comic books there though ironically
@@vaderladyl yeah Sears and Montgomery Wards done it often
I walked into a GAP store last week to see what they had because I’ve never shopped there and the clothes are just so dated and ugly. It’s basically clothes with no seasoning. Boring and bland.
Don't forget overpriced and low quality.
Jevon Sims abso lutely
And the stores are a mess! So unappealing.
Lily Valac basically 😂🤦🏼♂️
@Lily Valac Course some snapchat filter ho gotta open her mouth with some ignorant shit
That "New Logo" from 2010 literally looks like some kid learned how to make a gradient and place text in photoshop.
"I'm guessing you don't wear the same clothes you did in high school"
*Looks down at the ancient Mountain Dew hoodie from 1998, which in middle school was horrendously oversized but I wore it anyway and still do today* I mean it fits me really well now...! It... I... ok I have no excuse for this.
I legit just got rid of of a pair of sweatpants I've had from 7th grade. They were way too big but like you said fit great when I got older. They were worn and had a hole in them. Had to lay them to rest.
@@bartturner3327 Yeah I had to remove the sleeves from mine because they were so battered, but the rest looks ok. Now I have a half-hoodie!
Now that's brand loyalty right there
ghey trendie phag fishing for complements badge achieved
I do too and have others in my closet just for the sentimental value.
When I was in junior high school (late 90s), GAP was perceived as the store where silver spoon rich kids with no character or personality got their clothes.
Exactly. That's why I never shopped there. I was a Maurice's, and later, Hot Topic, kid.
Interesting. When I was in jr high mid-late 90s, Abercrombie and Fitch was where the plain rich kids got their clothes, hot topic was where the kids who wanted to be edgy dressed, and Gap was popular among middle class. I grew up in Oakland, CA and Bay Area so maybe that had something to do with it.
I don't know your background but when I was in my high school GAP was perceived as the store for rather poor kids.
Y E E Z Y
@@coldchillin8382 nah it was like that’s everywhere not just Cali
I worked at Gap in high school. I loved it. They used to sell perfume, does anyone remember the one called “Grass”? It was incredible!!!
I’m with you. I bought this fragrance for a few years. I miss it.
The issue is, they're the Volkswagen of clothing retailers. The Gap tried to cover every socio-economic/age group its their three tiered brands. They figured they would have something to sell every customer in every demographic - just like Volkswagen, with their Skoda/VW/Audi strategy. The problem is when each brand attempts to sell more (which they will), the branding becomes blurred. Old Navy becomes what the Gap used to be. BR is now also what the Gap used to be, but for wealthier clientele. So the Gap attempts to go upscale to justify it's premium pricing, and bumps up into BR, while Old Navy is eating the Gap's old mid-range market. Same thing with VW, which can no longer make affordable cars. If they want to make a profit, they have to go upscale... but upscale is Audi. And Audi isn't a competitor they can take market share from. Audi is their parent company.
Too many brands under a corporate umbrella. It used to be a strength. Now it's a liability.
Billy K Harmony hey I like my VW lol
Billy K Harmony hey I like my VW lol
Audi is not the parent company of VW. Both brands are owned by VW Group.
@@oxanahendrix8080 rite.!
Heyyyy whats wrong with VWs...i love mine😜😁
do a video on Target's price hike. I used to love their Mossimo brand, and i like good fellow, but its a lot more expensive.
The GAP is too synonymous with what the cast would wear on 90s/early 2000s shows like “My So Called Life”, “Friends”, “Boy Meets World”, “Blossom”, “Dawson’s Creek” > Generation X.
Except the 90's are what is on trend right now with young people...high waisted Mom jeans, light wash denim, white runners, denim overalls and full rompers/ jumpers, scrunchies etc.
Though the only difference is that kids are now fatter..... sigh.....
Yep! I am GenX and loved the Gap in the late 90’s to mid 2000’s....
Depends on that part of the decade you are on.... Early 90’s looks 80’s.... Mid 90’s gets that grunge/preppy professional feel.... Late 90’s gets slick, sophisticated and “futuristic” ala Y2K, Matrix and WWW....
Is they were smart they'd capitalize off this new "vintage and retro" trend with us teenagers.
It's shocking that this brand is still around. I'm 43 and I remember the lower to mid 90s when they were still doing good. It's insane we are almost in 2020 and this brand is still trying to tough it out with their overpriced clothes.
Agree. I only get their t-shirts for 5 bucks. Anything above 10 dollars, no thank you.
The problem isn’t that The Gap’s mediocre threads aren’t overpriced; rather, The Gap isn’t overpriced enough. Think about what I am saying.
Never thought the gap was overpriced, compared to J Crew and Banana Republic, it's just their quality really declined.
Gap is just a boring brand. Nothing special about their store layout or their clothing.
That’s what you say when ur mom picks your clothes they have good pieces and you just need to find the stuff that isn’t branded
Their name is starting to suck too.
Its soo expensive too. I brought some stuff because I like the joggers but there like 30 quid each! I wouldn't have bothered if it wasn't 40ish% off
It screams old ppl, us millennials are not with it
And that’s what made them great. I love boring clothes, get attention with your words, fools!
As a young teen in the 90s once old navy opened up. Great looking clothes for much cheaper was available which moved thousands to old navy and away from Gap
They are both the same corporation along with Banana Republic, each targeting a different segment of the buying public.
I applied at Old Navy at least 3-4 times in my teens. I wanted to wear one of those cool headsets and walk around feeling cool and official. Never got hired but it was seen as a cool enviable job in high school.
If they lowered their prices and removed the branding from the shirts, I'd shop there.
I got beat up when I was a little child for wearing those clothes
Nice 👍🏿 😁
"Gap? What are you, Gay And Proud?" Oh yeah know that all too well
@@Wimmer33fan1 And that's why I didn't wear GAP
Diego Gaspar why
:(
I had a bad experience with a GAP store as a teen where the sales associate ignored me but welcomed the next customer that walked in with virtually open arms. I had just gotten paid a big Christmas bonus and was ready to shop. I turned around, walked out, and haven’t been back since.
Oh man I'd love to see one on Forever 21
@@peterjszerszen Forever 21 has an ironic name considering the fall.
@@eatatjoes6751 it's gonna be forever closing now
I've been single-handedly trying to keep them in business. I love buying trendy pieces for cheap.
Cnbc did a pretty good video on it recently
Their failure to attract the international market expanding too fast. CNBC posted a video of it.
Q : What happened to the Gap?
A : They didn't mind it
Granger Montag A London joke I guess 😂
@@stephm4047 good one!
Underrated joke
Heheheheheheh lolol LMFAOAOAOAOAOAOAOAOAOA LMAOAOOOO LMAOOOOOOO LOL HAAHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHHAHAHA not funny
Worked a treat mate. Cheerios.
When I was in my 20s, I thought Gap was cool. As I aged, I started noticing that their clothes didn't last long. They were poorly made. I still shop at Banana Republic.
I agree, Banana republic is way better value for your money.
I totally agree. They quality is not there anymore. CHEAP MATERIALS
Gap clothing is the same every years. They need to rid off the team that designed the clothing.
Quang Tran they’ve done often
Didn’t even know GAP still existed
New subscriber 😁
The Gap in my my local mall got closed down and they built a Zara in its place 😂
Do you mean the mall in San Francisco? That is the store I know.
Free standing Gap on Main Street in Venice turned into an American Apparel, then into nothing!
Yep the gap in my mall closed down too. It was the only time I bought stuff from them. All of the clothes were seriously 90% off. I got a 150$ jacket for 15$
Same here.
Gap’s business model isn’t the problem, it’s actually their image and store layout! I remember when Gap was more than just a clothing store, it was their branding. They now feel like Kohl’s and JCPenney, they’re so boring!
The Reverend Jim Jones the Kohl’s layout is awful and messy! Gap back in the 1990s and early 2000s were bright and clean! They turned the gap into a smaller version of Kohl’s department store. Even Kohl’s now isn’t fun anymore, they barely sell good stuff anymore.
@The Reverend Jim Jonesmy mom loves Kohl's too. I am 28....so...
Matt R major bore
kahluaqueen these stores bore customers, they rather shop elsewhere.
I was a teenager back in the early 1990s who shopped at the Gap when it was a cool brand. As I got older and my tastes changed and I got into their Banana Republic brand which is more my style these days. I agree that the Gap's struggle has been their inability to attract the next generation of shoppers. I would say that generation x, my generation, were the last generation of Gap shoppers before they went downhill.
Haven’t been there since I was a little kid, only thing I actually remember about it was that rumor about them owning Hot Topic
I was one of the teens brought into the brand in the 90s and I gotta say from my perspective as a buyer, I was happy continuing to shop with them primarily up until around 2002. I liked the simple, clean lines of the clothes and the flattering colors they chose. But around 2002 something changed and they went from having a large selection of attractive clothes to still having nice cuts, but choosing terrible colors, lots of oranges and browns compared to the primarily blues, blacks, and whites they previously sold.
Now I do still go there occasionally, but mostly it's to buy jeans. And even then, I''m not so sure I would if it weren't for the fact that I have a discount card for the entire brand. And I shop at their other brands for shirts. Typically Banana Republic for tee shirts as the fabric is better quality, and I like the solid colors with no logos.
Also following the logo change you talked about, they actually did another logo update around 2012, but the changes were so minor that no one really noticed.
I fell into the GAP in the 1980s and stayed there through the 90s.
My favorite thing about their clothes was that they were somewhat conservative (relaxed fit jeans, a nice mock turtleneck sweater, crew neck sweaters, button down oxfords, Lounge wear, boxer briefs, etc...and everything in natural fibers) and I loved their muted tones. My casual wear tended to stay in the blue, gray and black range and the GAP had a lot of cool stuff in those colors for me (all in 100% cotton and wool).
Every trip to the mall during the 80s and 90s required a trip to a GAP). When I moved to Chicago in 1992, the GAP on Michigan Avenue was the place I spent the most time (after home and work, of course). The simple dark blue square with the big white letters just made me feel at home.
In the mid-to-late 90s the colors got a lot brighter and I just stopped shopping there. It broke my heart to stop shopping there. I've pretty much spent the last 20+ years trying to find a store that would allow me to maintain that same aesthetic (really comfortable clothing with muted tones), but nothing has been able to replace the GAP..
Old navys
From 1994 to 2014 I was a loyal Gap customer because it was the place to find women's jeans that fit. Each year I'd buy a pair (or two or three) in different colors. Then the company ditched the sizing and nothing fit anymore. I was still a size 6 with a short inseam; nothing in stock fit that shape. Contacted the company with a polite written request which got no response, not even a form letter. After a few more visits in hopes of finding a return of the old cut and sizing, I stopped looking.
The death of the shopping mall played a big part.
If they cut some of the prices in half then they’ll be ok. They already have a reputation of being expensive so no one is really going to go there despite the efforts they make to adjust it. When I hear GAP I think of Abercrombie & Fitch, Lacoste, Guess.
Gucci is also overrated
@North American TH-camr people already see them as cheap .....
@North American TH-camr the fuck you mean more fashionable? clothes are clothes. How hard it is to make a shirt or pants. The only job of clothing is to be comfortable while performing the task of covering your ass up and keeping your skin from the elements.
Thanks for all the interesting and informative content. Clearly a channel I return to YT to see. I truly hope it is gainful for you
11:38 that logo looks like it belongs in Microsoft Office
As a gen x guy I can tell you that in the late 80’s and early 90’s the Gap was very cool. I bought my favorite jean jacket there in high school that was slightly faded and had a flannel lining inside. It was like $100-150 jean jacket! But that was the price you paid to be cool way back then. Also Guess jeans. Super expensive but super popular then as well. Once I graduated in 92 the Gap had lost quite a bit of its cool factor but still was doing well. By the mid 90’s and late 90’s I remember not really shopping there much and moved over to Old Navy. More current clothing trends and a lot cheaper prices! The Gap used to be awesome but they never really grew or changed with the times in my opinion. Plus Old Navy took a ton of the business from them I’m sure.
I remember working at The Gap in the 90's. Great times, great clothes and actual customer service. The Service part started to decline and that stopped me being a customer.
why shop at the gap when its already 80% as expensive as banana republic but half as nice?
Please rise and fall of Bally’s total fitness
They were crooks!
Bally: Still charging people’s credit cards.
Dimitri Borozny no they were way gone before planet fitness
I worked for la fitness and I know they bought them over and I heard all types of crazy stories why and seen so many of the deals we had grandfathered in that were crazy (1$ for a full year as an example ) so I want to know the real story
Here in Houston 24hr fitness bought them out, here anyway.
GAP clothing has been my favorite brand of clothing that I've ever worn. But it definitely went down in quality, but up in price, in early 2000.
In my opinion they have some of the best “basics”. Decent quality for the price, much better than anything H&M has.
I beg to disagree.
Cadillac Deville I completely agree with you H&M has a more diverse clothing selection than Gap.
@@rachellindsay2401 possibly but it's lower quality. I find out of all the jeans I've worn Gap are my favourite.
I agree, especially their v neck/crew neck t shirts. I own a few of them and they're super comfy and much better than what H&M/Zara have to offer for that price point.
Yeah. They’re more of a store than a brand to me honestly. Some of my dad’s old clothes from the 90s he got there are in my closet and i wear them constantly.
Like Heidi Klum said, "In fashion, one day you're in... and the next day you're out"
From what I remember, for most of the 90's there weren't many Old Navy locations. So I shopped at the Gap to get quality basics that were just affordable enough for someone in their 20's, like myself. Then the styles and colors became unflattering and the prices went WAY up when Old Navy shops became more ubiquitous. My $40 jeans jumped to $70! No way. I just would not pay through the nose, let alone for ugly clothes. Not when I could get cute, quality jeans at Old Navy for $15 on sale! I then became a loyal and regular Old Navy customer. Some of their clothes are not made particularly well, but many are, and the prices, sales and rewards give me the best bang for my buck when shopping for clothes. I get most of me & my husbands jeans, tees, button downs, socks etc. They also have a fun vibe, whereas Gap models look depressed that they haven't eaten since the 90's. LOL.
When I was a kid in the late 80s/early 90s i got to go to the GAP when my grandparents took me back to school shopping or for my birthday to get something cool looking that was durable but also expensive. I loved GAP jeans when they were well made heavy denim. Then the world became obsessed with disposable fast fashion, which they jumped on board with but kept their really high prices. The last jeans i got a year ago look as worn as a pair I had from them 20 years earlier. Go back to basics with high quality durable denim and make it ethically and sustainably and people will come back
I was more of a JCPenney, Wal-Mart, and Goodwill kid. The Gap was too expensive for my family.
I thought GAP stood for “Gifts and pants”?? That’s what I was told when I work for a GAP DC in the U.K...
Been sometime since I’ve heard anyone say anything about the Gap, let alone gone inside one of the stores.
Part of the problem is, dare I say, quality. 10 years ago I bought several stock single color T-shirts from them--of which I still actually have one. They were made of a thick fabric that didn't pill and held together well. Five years later I checked in to get some more, and found the quality had taken a nosedive. The thick fabric of the original t-shirts had been replaced to the point where one could almost see your hand through the material. Threading snapped, and the bottom hem came apart in some places. Add to this they had raised the prices around 10-15% for the same shirt. Buying a $7-10 tee from Old Navy and I will accept one that won't last more than a year or two. Paying $20-25 for the same shirt is a deal breaker, and I suppose it is for a lot of people.
Gap clothes are ugly and expensive. I shop at American eagle. However, if I really wanted to splurge, I would go to Zara.
I used to LOVE American Eagle... until they changed their shirts and undies; I just can't wear that shit.
Christopher Brown AE sucks. Every time I buy clothes from there something breaks or the threads come undone.
@@averya7443 that must be the NEW AE stuff that I won't buy
Christopher Brown yep. I remember about 5 years ago I could buy pants and they’d last years. Bought some last year and the belt loops snapped in about 3 months
@@averya7443 Aeropostale was my go-to for jeans... looking back, though, diverse representation helps
I just remember the theme song, “Fall into the Gap!”🎶🎶
The Gap was about as popular then as the “N’Cest Pas,” jeans-no consumer appeal in our purchasing community.
I grew up in the heydey of The Gap (graduated high school in 1999)...and I honestly never had a clue Old Navy was affiliated with Gap! 😮
I still remember them in the early 80’s as “that weird Levi’s store.” It was bizarre, just rows of jeans and nothing else. They started selling Old Navy branded items in their GAP stores in 1990, which was confusing.
Do you remember how they were constantly knocking on the door to bring you another size? It was always so awkward standing in your underwear like..."um..yes??"Lol
You seemed to have lived an anomaly 😅
@@InsaneNuYawka No, I'm just old. Lol
@@elyseeblackstone4597 I was referring to Discod, I too recall the door knocking for other sizes, which while creepy was kinda convenient
@@InsaneNuYawka about the Old Navy items? It was odd, but true. Not sure if they did it in some stores to kind of test the waters, but there were a few Old Navy branded items that popped up on the racks in the Citrus Heights, CA location.
I remember Sharon Stone wearing a Gap shirt at oscars... 1996...
I worked at the gap the winter of 2000. I loved it. I still fold my jeans the way they do in their stores. Ironically, I hated working the jeans wall. But I was very good at it so they always put me there.
I remember being bullied because the kids would say it stood for "Gay and Proud". Good times
I got beat up for wearing those clothes
The good ol days
@Luke Robinett lol we were broke. East LA county first generation Mexican. But you're right, my parents just wanted me to look nice and presentable
@Luke Robinett *nice gay clothes
They also are not competitive because what they sell is essentially jeans, T-shirts and hoodies, and very basic ones at that, and they sell them like they're a high end mall brand. Other high end mall brands, even ones that sell basics, have attractive stuff. Stuff you imagine yourself looking good in. Nobody thinks "wow, I'll look amazing in this expensive plain navy blue hoodie and boot cut jeans!" That's a very 90s look, anyway, and not the trendy vintage 90s look that's come back around. They simply need new designs. Also, if they went back to offering records and other trendy products, they'd capture Millennials and Gen-Z more. I think about Urban Outfitters and other trendy stores young people shop at, and a lot of them maximize by selling skincare, household goods, and trendy fandom things like Funko Pops and vinyls.
As a high school-er in the early 2000s, I remember how trendy the GAP was. However, the cost is the primary reason that I never shopped there. My cousins would shop there (but my uncle's an attorney so $$ wasn't as much of an obstacle for them). My family and I would shop at Old Navy instead, and get so much more for about 1/3 - 1/2 the price.
I bought a hoodie from GAP when I was about 5 and I wore it on Christmas Day and the zipper broke and ever since that day I’ve had internal feelings about GAP.
At 23 years old as of 2021. I can say I’ve never stepped foot in a Gap. I honestly had no idea it was even a clothing store. I thought it was a home furnishings store.
I always felt GAP to be too generic for my taste. I haven't been there since I was a kid, and it was always a boring experience. I can't speak for everyone else's taste, but I always found flashier options from H&M, ZARA, and UNIQLO.
Exactly even as a kid back in the 90s I never thought the gap was cool
Flashy clothes are in bad taste tho.
So true, it was like walking into a wallpaper store, so boring
@@davidabest7195 have you not seen Hollywood?
@@davidabest7195 to each his own
I personally didn’t like the GAP in the 90’s. I buy most of my jeans there now. I wait for 50% sales and buy them then. I don’t buy much else from them but I like the jeans.
TheKosmikid the jeans are good and that’s about it I agree
Agreed, I buy jeans there when on sale. And nothing else from Gap.
I can tell my experience with GAP as a person from ex-"socialist" eastern european country. I get my first few GAP shirts in the 90's as present from my relatives traveling abroad. I loved them - they were so thin and dense, with so resistant dyes that seemed to never fade out. When they eventually wared out my father use them as working clothes in the garden of his country house till the beginning of 2010's. And finally, the first GAP shop appeared in a shopping mall in my city and I've intentionally gone to see what's in there. I saw more or less the same as in the chinese discount stores with just a bit better cut and seam but made of generally worse cloth for 15 times higher price. Thanks a lot - that was the last time I've put any interest in the GAP brand.
Right after you talked about the gap warehouse and old navy I had an old navy ad😳
Never shopped at the Gap. Last time I saw some Gap stores was back in the early 2000's. Around 2000-2003. Even then it wasn't many. I was kid in the early and mid 90's and in my early teens in the late 90's. All my clothes came from places like Montgomery Ward/Wards, Sears, Ames and Value City in the 90's when I was a kid and in my early teens. Ames and value City were just discount stores and both of them are gone now. Value City went out of business sometime in the early 2000's and the last Ames I knew of was in the mid 2000's. I figured Old Navy was in trouble as well cause Old Navy stores near me have been closing. Of course, they could be moving to other places. But the one that I knew is about 20-25 minutes away and it was near a Kohl's and apparently Kohl's is doing well so I don't see why Old Navy would leave a place like that. Unless Kohl's was actually hurting their sales.
Everyone is sayings because it’s old “90sl” fashion wait a few years and I bet 90s fashion is going to hit like a hurricane so stick up now!!! Be ahead of the curve
Nah dude, fashion is going back to the great depression because in a few years ain't no body going to afford that crap.
90s fashion has been hot for a couple years now. Check out any urban outfitters
I buy what I like and what I still like for the most part..is 90s fashion. Not saved by the bell..more like 90210.
We'll it's been out, and you've gotta survive the time between fashion trends to sell your products.
I could never understand why they were so popular. Their prices were ridiculously outlandishly expensive.
I was store manager for GAP, and I can tell you they are focused on commodity rather than quality. They quality has gone down and the prices keep going up, same with Banana Republic. I have a GAP denim jacket that I bought 15 years ago and is still a staple in my wardrobe. The CEO was just replaced by one of the Fischer sons, so I hope they can turn it around.
When I was a young teenager in the 70's The Gap was the place to go because they had unique, cool clothing that no one else had. They lost their cutting edge somewhere along the way. Their clothes have nothing special about them to set them apart.
Just asking, were your parents considered above medium income! I was a teenager as well in the 70's and our clothes were from Sears and I think Kohls. We had a Gap store in the Mall ofcourse, but the clothes were more expensive.
No, raised by a single mom. I usually only had one pair of jeans at a time. It was a big deal to buy any item of clothing. It wasn't till I was older and had babysitting money that I bought my own clothes. If it was a parent buying me something, we went to Ward's, Sears, or Kmart. To this day, I will shop discount stores and stretch my money, which I love. I still just have a few items of clothing and make them last for years. 💖🤗
@@Stevia_Dunn Yup, Wards and Kmart also.
Gap for myself originally was where you went for the basics, jeans, khaki's, basic tee shirts in black, white, multi-colored, basics, super comfy sweaters. Over the years Gap seemed to start chasing fashion trends, particularly for the younger, rather than the all ages basics. What I liked about J Crew was the colors--J Crew took the same old styles and refreshed them with great colors and color combinations. Gap prices are reasonable and I continue to shop at Gap for basic items. Banana Republic which grew from a catalog has become a 'skinny-minnie' store, good choices for working folks in white color jobs. I am happy to see some fashion trends return to practical basics and H&M now rules.
They still make nice t shirts I have one that I've gotten complements on it and I have never gotten complements on a SHIRT
I love 90's branding and logos, but the GAP logo from the 90's to today is quintessential 90's design, it screams dated and old school. How they still have the same logo after all this time seems nuts to me, most logos have gone through a change atleast once a decade, heck the 70's logo looks more up to date than the rigid angles and block lettering of that old 90's logo.
cattysplat that logo debuted in 86. Their current logo is the same lettering in Black on a white background.
I remember when The Gap switched from Levi's to their own brand. I suddenly had no reason for my mom to shop there anymore, especially since she'd be paying cool prices for uncool, less-durable clothing.
I hardly noticed The Gap again until the fabulous ads in the late 1990s. But the clothes themselves weren't that cool; the ads tried to make them cool. And Gap clothes were no longer made in all sizes, so I couldn't buy them anyway! Then the cool ads stopped, and once again there was no reason to even take a look inside their stores.
As this video shows, The Gap brand began as jeans for all sizes of cool hippies playing cool music. That was a very strong identity with a memorable vibe. The chain's in-house clothing hasn't been cool, or right-sized, for any given era since.
The Gap became too corporate; even when it could identify what's cool with young adults, they couldn't get that coolness past the accountants and shareholders -- and they couldn't do it with quality materials at reasonable prices.
Omg dude I understand the struggle for 32 x 32
The struggle is for 31x30
The perfect size
They’re trying too hard to become the next big clothing brand, they put their logos on everything and make their prices high, but don’t want to spend the material or effort to get there and make it the same quality as when they were cheap
"I was baby gap kid.." You family must be rich. I couldn't afford to buy it for my baby 10 years ago.
.... That's the reason for it's decline. Because regular people are not getting richer and can't afford it. And the quality too. After 2 washing cycles it's doesn't look good anymore.
My roommate in college had the same sweater as a toddler we saw in a grocery store parking lot - Gap / Baby Gap...same price....ridiculous. That baby was gonna outgrow it in a matter of WEEKS!
It all started when LL Cool J wore a Fubu hat in the GAP's commercial..
the decline is WHY LL Cool J started doing Gap commercials as they were trying to "get with the program" They failed..fast forward 10-15 years later Fubu is found online and at Walmart and one of its founders is part of Shark Tank
I shop at the GAP occasionally now but the big problem with GAP and Old Navy is they discontinue selling items that are or should be staples in their brand. For example Forever Khaki pants for men and women. These pants back in the day were the Sherman Tank in clothing. Indestructible and always on trend. What did GAP and Old Navy do with this gold mine? They traded it all in and started selling kitschy clothes that are flash in the pan trends rather than sticking with tried and true money makers. Proof in point. Ralph Lauren still makes these staples and they continue to sell hand over fist to the end of the baby boomer generation. GAP and Old Navy were once an alternative to this, high quality $29.99 pants compared to RL at $89.99. Being that I like the classics I pay the $90 for the same pants I used to buy 3 pairs of ON or GAP.
That is another reason both brands are floundering now. They don’t listen to customers. They try every stupid trend without paying attention to what sells. Nobody wants high wasted pants all the way to their boobs instead of the cool low rise, bootcuts that made GAP and ON a ton of cash.
Another proof. Banana Republic every once in a while will have the low rise bootcut jeans and they sell out so fast a customer hardly has a chance to buy them. I personally buy 3-5 paid every time they get them and we’re talking $59.99 a pop.
If GAP and ON really wanted to continue to resonate with old customers and bring in new ones, maybe they should go back to the days when they stocked the classics en masse and knock off the skinny Jean high rise craze they’ve fell victim to.
How about doing the same video on Abercrombie & Fitch?
I think they have done it already, although it may have been a different youtuber that did it.
I'm old enough to remember their slogan " fall into the gap!"
could never afford to shop there...
For me The Gap went downhill when they started their 1969 collection.
Whenever I would go into a Gap store all they had were jeans and gray and white T-shirts.
I was a teen in the 90's and lived for GAP anything. I still shop at GAP, their jeans and outer ware just can't be beat.
Walmart has clothes for 1/3rd of the price that last 4 times as long. Just sayin'.
why you just sayin dat
Omg the last thing I go to Walmart for is clothe 😂 more like alcohol or a energy drink at 1am
Yeah and you look like a Neanderthal. Awesome if you dont like getting laid and live in a trailer park.
I worked there for about 2 years. Here's the scoop based on my observations. They self promote too much with the logo, their clothes are too expensive (I remember ringing up $70 baby and toddler coats, $79-$90 Jeans, $50 button ups, $60 dresses) meanwhile all these clothes were at the H&M across the street more than half the prices. They cater more to older people than being well rounded in fashion choices. The quality versus price ratio is horrible. And the biggest one of all, they always want us to push and kill for a fucking GAP credit card!!!! Its annoying as fuck and I know customers get tired of hearing about it. For the ones who have the credit card, it saves a nice amount but it ends up becoming a hassle and people just end up cancelling or not using it. And there's much more....planning on making a video about my experience there. Stay tuned 💯👌🏾
H&M is cheap.... and I mean materials. The Gap needs to back to the same quality of clothing they had in the 90s
I remember getting a GAP sweater during Christmas and when I wore it to school, some kid said “Gay And Proud” and that was the last time I wore that sweater
I honestly don’t even know where to shop for quality basics anymore. I’m talking nice jeans, plaid shirts/oxfords, chinos, solid color t shirts, etc. it seems like the places that used to sell that stuff don’t excel at it anymore.
I love the Gap, but I feel that in the 90’s and early 00’s they really had an overall better presence. Advertising was amazing. I feel that store experience has declined. I was born in 2002 and grew up from baby Gap to Gap kids. Then we shopped at Old Navy for a while since it was cheaper. Gap does have great sales and the clearance rack is great. I think Gap would appeal to teens if they recycled their 90’s styles and start new campaigns like “everybody in leather”. I honestly love Gap but it feels to generic now, they really need to mark themselves again as an individual store with classic, unique styles.
they declined because people at school tells the other kids that it means gay and proud . I remember asking my mom specifically to not buy me gap for that very reason.
i remember that as a kid. if you wore gap people would make that joke about you though that was in the late 90's early 00's i doubt that still gets said today
They were huge when I was I kid in the late 90s early 2000s having one of their sweaters was the start of us wearing “brand” ware. But then again I’m from Canada :p
Who remembers Benetton
I loved their rugby shirts and sweaters
Their ads were eye-catching, for sure! Sometimes controversial. I even bought their makeup - it was pretty different from anything else out at the time.