Wednesday, Wednesday you are humpalicious. Today started off with me jumping out of bed at 3 am with a big idea, then not being able to go back to sleep, and going to the gym at 5 am, followed by a 6 am spin class where I had the supreme misfortune of sitting next to a chatty Cathy who proceeded to regale me with all sorts of bullshit throughout the whole class. Needless to say, I'm a bit tired now.
But there's no time to be tired, especially for you dedicated followers of fashion. Fashion week begins in New York tomorrow, and I can't wait to see what's up for Spring 2012. If fashion is a barometer for our times, one can only imagine what we'll be wearing when the next President gets elected, or re-elected. Regardless of which side of the fence you sit on politically, you can't escape the anxiety seeping back into our DNA (did it ever go away?) so guessing many will be scaling back on spendy purchases again as talk of double dip takes hold. That's why it's so great that the Gap is back, baby. And back in a big way.
A bit of history for you- I have always been a staunch supporter of the Gap, from way back in the day. When I first moved to New York, I remember thinking that it seemed like there was a Gap on every block, and when I'd get stressed out from my various jobs in the city, I somehow always found comfort in walking into a Gap, where everything was neatly folded, color coded, and somewhat generic. It was my own little slice of retail heaven for a long time, my guilty pleasure, my secret arsenal for basics that mattered. I adored how the Gap could be worn by everyone- democratic fashion is fantastic- I have always adored how everyone will take the same white tee and rock it in their own way. Look no further than the now infamous Oscar moment where Sharon Stone rocked hers with a Vera Wang ball skirt and some Fred Leighton jewels. Genius, and voila- high and low dressing as we know it today was born.
In the past few seasons, the Gap has left me cold, and let me down. Though I respect Patrick Robinson, I did not at all like what he did for the Gap. The clothes were overpriced, ill fitting, and lacked the street appeal necessary to compete in the lower end these days. And with Zara going online, the Gap has much work to do to keep up. And though I dig the new Gap campaign (sorta- dig the pictures anyway shot by Cass Bird), the big problem with the Gap came down to the most important thing a brand needs to pay attention to- their product. And with Patrick gone, the clothes (the product) have gotten infinitely better. There's a lot of Alexander Wang/Rick Owens moments happening there, and there's a rebelliousness to the clothes that I am super duper digging on. The leather jackets are fabulous too, as are the accessories. Finally the clothes feel on trend, sexy, and cool again. I don't give a tick about their taco trucks or the story of how their jeans are made- what I do care about is the aesthetic I always adored is back, in a big way, and for that I am thankful. In this age of uncertainty, never deny the power of a good basic, at a good price. Never ever. All the advertising in the world and cool non traditional pop ups and such are ok, but it's still all about one thing- the clothes, people. Make the clothes good, and they will come. The Gap realized this this season. About time, really. I'm glad I can be a fan again.
Because the Gap is back, with cool clothes for all, people. Oh and the countdown for Missoni madness at Target begins- one week and counting, folks until full zig zag infiltration. Until then, check out the Gap. I guarantee you'll find something you'll like, and maybe you too can feel some stress relief from strolling the well folded aisles. Now they need to fix Banana Republic. Mad Men collection seems a bit two years ago to me....sigh. And that's what's up this American classic of a Wednesday in the M to the I to the A. All the love. XO