Gap names Patrick Robinson EVP of Design

[lucy92]

here is a quote from one of the members of the Fisher family (the family that controls most of the company)

"The focus on the late 20s customer is going to allow us much more focused product assortment, much stronger marketing messages," Fisher said, adding that it would sharpen its focus by cutting the number of fall products it sells by 30 percent.

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/...889bd-9060-4f27-8d52-46d0393932ef&k=35236&p=1

 

[MicheleIman]

I didn't even see this coming! I hope he can help the Gap, because they serously need it. He was wonderful at Perry Ellis, I have the confidence that he will make the Gap a household name again.

 

[softgrey]

mr robinson certainly has his work cut out for him...
talk about pressure!!!...
...


just an idea of how poorly gap is doing...
from today's wwd.com

Gap Earnings Tumble
Friday, May 25, 2007
By Arthur Zaczkiewicz
As Gap Inc. continues to work to right its business, the specialty retailer reported a 26 percent decline in net profits for the first quarter ended May 5.

so that is even WITH the designer shirt and the red promotions they have just done...
eek!

 

[kimair]

Whatever happened to that woman who was designing a couple years ago, when Sarah Jessica Parker was starring in their commercials? I remember Vogue did a profile on her and it seemed like she had some wonderful ideas for the brand.

pina ferlisi, or something like that...
she worked at marc by marc, then gap...
now she's head designer at generra...

i think gap is going through an identity crisis...
i've seen the stuff at the gap at old navy for lower prices, so i think "why get it at the gap?"
and as diorling said, american apparel and other companies are doing basics so much better than gap...

i don't know what they need to do to get their groove back, but this could be a step in the right direction...
since patrick comes from a high-fashion background, he could infuse that into his designs for the gap...
i loved the pieces he did for perry ellis...i actually have a few...
it just wasn't the perry ellis that i knew (alot like liz claiborne or anne klein)...
it seemed fresher and younger, but not juvenile...

 

[kimair]

oh and they had a 26% decline in net profits overall (for all gap divisions), but the sales for just gap north america were down only 4%...

 

[softgrey]

so are banana and old navy doing badly too?......

 

[Madhuri]

Gap is competing with places like Target that make both basics and trendy clothes but cheaper. Like someone else said, you can get pretty much the same stuff at Old Navy so who is Gap aiming for?

I think their price point is hurting them. I was looking at dresses on their website retailing for $70 bucks. Forever 21 has similar dresses at a third the price.

 

[Deleted member 7575]

so are banana and old navy doing badly too?......

From last I read in WWD Banana is the only one of the 3 that is profitable.

To me, the problem with the The GAP and Old Navy is that the retail scene has come under drastic changes since the late 90's and the company has failed to keep up. The GAP was known for basic, fashionable, and slightly preppy/classic clothing. It was a combination that worked but one they no longer have a grip over.

American Apparel has done a far better job of translating a wardrobe made up of basics into something desirable. They've put consideration into their fit and silhoutte, something GAP has failed to do over the years.

As far as fashionable clothes go, H&M has really got the market cornered and with Zara's, Uniqlo, and now Topshop spreading through the U.S., GAP's offering seems only more obsolete and juvenille.

And The GAP did have a very classic American appeal which is now almost completely monopolized by Abercrombie & Fitch who have branded and marketed themselves superbly. Their elitist "casual luxury" schtick earns them billions.

What these companies have been able to do that the GAP hasn't is to keep up with trends in consumer buying, not just design. Look at the fast fashion phenomenon, why didn't they position Old Navy for this? Look at the appeal of forward thinking design at low prices which H&M offers. It was an oversight on GAP's design department, they played it way way way too safe. You can't survive being the default for a generic pair of jeans or a gray sweater, not when people cram into A&F for a sweater with a moose on it or into H&M for skinny jeans.

 

[Madhuri]

And The GAP did have a very classic American appeal which is now almost completely monopolized by Abercrombie & Fitch who have branded and marketed themselves superbly. Their elitist "casual luxury" schtick earns them billions.

A&F's designs, like the GAP, change very little from season to season- -the same sweaters, the same polos, the same button-downs...etc. How did they managing to stay the same yet reap profits while the GAP has failed?

 

[Deleted member 7575]

A&F's designs, like the GAP, change very little from season to season- -the same sweaters, the same polos, the same button-downs...etc. How did they managing to stay the same yet reap profits while the GAP has failed?

marketing and branding. Abercrombie & Fitch, whether you like it personally or not, commands a loyal customer. To some people in this world it denotes sexual vitality, youth, wealth, and class. Also, you can easily spot a A&F shirt (despite the logo) from the way they are styled and the cut and the texture of the fabric. They spend a lot of time trying to make their clothes distinct, distinction is something The GAP severely lacks.

 

[Yanka]

Good for GAP and for Patrick! He'll be surely making more money now

 

[masquerade]

I'm somewhat surprised at the comments in this thread. As a college student with a limited budget, gap is one of the stores most popular among my peers and myself.

I guess you can't deny that it's not financially as successful as it used to be, but I think a lot of people here are somewhat detached from what the regular gap customer is.

Gap doesn't need a major design overhaul. That would be the worst idea ever. They need to continue doing basics w/ a twist at just a better price. Most people I know who shop at gap only buy from sale. I know all the stuff i've gotten from gap in the last few months has been. that can't be so great for them financially.

I think patrick will do well continuing the style that gap has now. I don't know if it will revitalize gap since I don't think his design is that different than what they have now that it will totally bring in a whole new customer. but at the same time, i don't think that is a bad thing becuase they don't want to alienate their current customer. i think what they really need is to fix their pricing and ads.

 

[girleen]

I think this will give the Gap a much needed shot in the arm. Their recent designer collection was a lot of fun (although not terribly wearable). I think the Robinson collection for Target is the most wearable of all the designer collections thus far, so it's probably a good fit.

 

[seanutbutter]

Gap doesn't necessarily need a makeover clothing wise, but they certainly need one with their advertising and pricing; that's the real reason why their profit has decreased by 4%.

 

[Diorling]

I disagree, thier advertising is excellent. Thier prices are ok, but thier clothes dont live up to the prices or the advertising.

 

[seanutbutter]

To all their own. I think their clothes are great and their advertising/prices are mediocre.

 

[thesiren]

gap and old navy are doing poorly. of course, we must understand that this means "poorly" in the gap inc. sense in which if you aren't turning a billion a year, you're no good to them. it's definitely an identity crisis as someone said, and i think that's because gap has never had to deal with anything like this.

it's taking them $40 million to close the forth & towne division, so it's not like they're filing chapter 11 quite yet. the gap brand seems to have no clue on who their demographic is. there was talk of selling banana alone (as it's the only gap inc. brand right now that can stand on its own), but they decided to cut away f&t first, which was a good move, imho. why continue to build when your bread and butter is wasting away?

 

[Deleted member 7575]

gap and old navy are doing poorly. of course, we must understand that this means "poorly" in the gap inc. sense in which if you aren't turning a billion a year, you're no good to them. it's definitely an identity crisis as someone said, and i think that's because gap has never had to deal with anything like this.

Actually, I think GAP and OLD NAVY generate loss rather than profit, it's bigger problem than not merely being a blockbuster.

 

[fashionispoison]

wow fantasic good for the GAP and him

 

[Meg]

This is a really interesting thread. I had no idea Gap was closing F&T.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly where it's gone wrong I think, there are many excellent points in this thread. On the one hand, I think Abercrombie has done a much better job of positioning itself in the market where Gap has failed. But Gap still has some of the best print ad's out there. As someone else said, the market has changed and ultimately Gap has not. There's been a MASSIVE increase in the amount of high street stores and in midpriced designers who are affectively leaving Gap at a really awkward price point.

Ultimately someone mentioned an identity crisis. Gap has the sort of whiff of failure about I think. When you go in there you don't quite know what you're going to get and that is not a good thing. For a store like Gap, no consumer is going to go shopping specifically to go there. It's not a destination store so it needs to rely on reliability. People who need something and know they will find it at Gap. If it doesn't fulfill this then consumers start shopping where they know they will get their khakis, sweaters, whatever.