Gap Unveils First Campaign Under New Creative Director Rebekka Bay
In December, Gap's new creative director Rebekka Bay told us about her simplified vision for the struggling (but once cool) mass retailer: “I just want to take it back, really,” she said. “I think Gap has always been the greatest iconic American casualwear brand, and that’s really what I want it to be. I want to own super casual, iconic pieces and be the go-to brand for the wardrobe -- almost like building blocks.”
So it comes as no surprise that the spring campaign -- the first under her direction -- is as casual and pared-back as we've seen from Gap since the '90s, Gap's heyday.
While the casting and format -- young celebrities and artists shot portrait-style by David Sims -- are similar to seasons past, the colors are more washed-out and the clothes more simple and casual, including lots of denim. In fact, you barely notice the clothes at all, which is the point. The campaign, titled "Lived-In," is meant to feel authentic, like the subjects are just wearing their own everyday clothing.
“For spring, we’ve recognized the brand’s iconic pieces -- khakis, denim and tees -- as the focal points, and through the feel of the fabric and shade of colors, brought ‘Lived-In’ to life through design,” said Bay of the clothes used in the campaign.
While the campaign may be casual, Gap is getting a little fancy with the way it's promoting it. In the brand's second recent collaboration with a high-fashion glossy, Gap partnered with Vogue on the first-ever tactile fabric print ad for the magazine's March issue, which includes a fabric logo made from the cotton of a worn-in T-shirt.
We haven't seen (or felt) this ad yet, but it sounds pretty awesome. And if the logo feels anything like this super old, insanely soft Gap T-shirt my boyfriend has (seriously, it's amazing), it could be pretty effective.
Browse the full campaign below, featuring musician Theophilus London; English singer-songwriters Birdy and Anna Calvi; American actors RJ Mitte and Julia Garner; Swedish photographer Lina Scheynius; and American singer-songwriter and record producer Ernest Greene (aka Washed Out).
