GAP - what are your opinions??

[epidemicalblonde]

honestly, gap over in canada is not all that inexpensive. The clothes isn't bad but I don't regularly shop there but buy the occasional accessorie. I recently bought the cutest black balletflats there and kudos to the gap people for have almost perfectly replicated the flats kate moss and sienna miller wear!

 

[Deleted member 7575]

Sorry to get off topic, but I am bothered by all the nastiness toward Americans in this thread.

Why is it necessary for posters here to specifically target large American corporations for the use of sweatshop labor? A lot of small boutiques, including those outside the US, sell products made by sweatshop labor. Those quirky "ethnic" items picked up at little stores inside and outside the US are often made by sweatshop labor...and plenty of overseas companies also rely on sweatshop labor.

Also, not all Americans are MTV-worshipping clones. It is a country whose Constitution defends freedom of speech and expression, as well as a country which is proud of its diverse heritage and the multitude of beliefs and tastes represented within its borders.

There are Mcdonalds in U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain

There is MTV Britain, MTV Germany, MTV France, MTV Italy, MTV Spain

and! There is even a GAP....duh duh duh...in the U.K.!!! and Germany as well. Also keep in mind that the some of top music and television shows in Europe (especially the U.K.) are American. Even more, the obesity rate in Europe is growing very quickly.

to play devil's advocate-

A note on GAP's use of sweatshops and unfair labor, Amnesty International actually supports the use of sweatshop labor. This is mainly because while the 12 cents per hour and harsh conditions may seem cruel and inhumane, the people who hold those jobs are quite thankful for them as they provide a much needed source of employment. It's also naive for people to think that H&M and Zara's don't use sweatshop labor......in fact....

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/spiegel/0,1518,390198,00.html

"In April 2005, 79 workers were killed when a Bangladeshi garment factory collapsed. The accident occurred on the other side of the world, and would have been instantly fogotten -- had European companies not been using the illegally enlarged plant as a cut-price sweatshop. What price profit?"

"That night 64 workers died in a grave of fragmented concrete, crushed bobbins, red children's pullovers ordered by the Spanish textile chain Zara, and purple striped women's tops bound for the Bluhm fashion group in Cologne. For Bangladesh, the collapse of the Spectrum Sweater works in Savar, north of the capital of Dhaka, was the most deadly disaster yet in an industry with a lethal history."

 

[Sunkist]

Mutterlein, I agree that pretty much every company probably has some tie to "sweatshop" labor, even the so-called "humane" ones. Unless they grow the cotton/harvest the silk themselves, forge/weld their own sewing machines and equipment, etc., it's *very* difficult to avoid "sweatshop" labor at some point in the production process, realistically.

I agree that closing the factories and offering no replacement employment is not a realistic solution, because these people would be completely unemployed or working in even worse or riskier conditions. The realistic solution is going to be slow change through encouraging government stability and education.

 

[Desire]

i think gap is a good store with low prices and great quality ...
i shop for basics there

 

[katiejane027]

I like alot og Gap's clothing. I just bought a white cable knit sweater there last week, ooooh so cute! and i have a pair of Gap brown pin-stripe slacks that i love.

 

[hardcorextragedy]

i have never been a big fan of gap. the only thing i have bought there that was worth it was a black pea coat. evertying is just so dull and boring there. deffently not clothing i would like to be seen in to make a statement.​

 

[Alejandro]

I used to wear a lot of gap basics, but knowing now how bad their quality has gotten, I have stopped shopping there on retail... I always wait for the sales

 

[gardenpea]

I used to believe GAP meant quality (GAP was a real novelty in the 90's in France). It may have been at some point. Apart from the sweatshop issue, I feel I'm totally being ripped off when I buy a pair of lean and long jeans sold £50 that starts to get holes after 3 months!! My boyfriend warned me about this but I'm not an intensive wearer of my jeans and I alternate a lot so I thought it should be okay.

This is really make me wonder how much theses jeans can cost to manufacture. Seeing sometimes how low they can go with the sales, I wouldn't be surprised it'd costed £2. I'm very upset and actually going and ask for some explanation next time I visit a Gap shop. The cut was just perfect I must say but I'm definitely not buying any more of their jeans. I'd better burn banknotes honestly.

The other feeling I have with this shop is the dullness of the choice. It's very basic finally and often cheap looking after a few washes. They're supported by clever but misleading marketing campaigns but after a second good look you can tell they're really not imaginative in terms of designs too.

 

[sullen_femme]

I don't like the clothes, but I love the ballet flats they had last fall and bought about 5 pairs.

 

[Ianastar]

GAP is great for basics and casual clothes, but honestly they are getting pretty expensive for the quality.

 

[kevinnn]

I think that over the years, GAP has gone down hill where as Old Navy has gone up hill. Old Navy > GAP

 

[ohoh609]

i like some of their stuff...

 

[writergal28]

The only reason why I shop at Banana Republic is because they have petites. But now, their sizes have gotten too big! Is it really possible to be too small to wear 0P? I live in Canada, so I can't order online and get 00P.

 

[tallgurl]

is it just me or does it seam that Gap comes out with the same things over and over but just in different patterns? plus their clothes fit weird ...the t-shirts are too short and boxy and their pants dont come in 2 long which i need....i thing oldnavy is much much better!

 

[Arturo21]

^^ agreed



That's just generalizing Americans, I don't agree at all. There are trends all over the world and people all over the world follow them. Just because a few million teeny-boppers will imitate the way they saw someone on MTV dress, does not mean that the rest of us are like that.

No, but, in general - British, among other Europeans are better dressed or more "fashion-forward" than Americans. I've lived in several parts of the US, and travelled to more, the dressing style is always - when generalized, as there are some few people with their own style- is the exact same over, and over, and over again.

However, when I go to - to London, to Paris, to Marseille and Nice, to Stockholm and Copenhagen .....People are always, always, always better dressed and groomed than what I've seen a big portion of my life. Even people in Venezuela seem to dress better

It seems to me that these labels like Gap also sell different products in the UK and so on than in the US. Nicer stuff....but since I don't go to the Gap very often, I could just be confused. Either way, they wear everything better in Europe.

I know that's the stereotype, but I am being general.

 

[thesassygirl]

You know I don't get why everyone hates GAP so much. (except for the sweatshop issue). Although I don't shop at there much I've found some nice things and what is up with the bad quality? I have absolutely never ever had a problem with their quality. Also I have one pair of jeans from gap. Just a dark bootcut wash but what's weird is that they make me look the skinniest out of all my jeans which consists mainly of seven and some COH. Haha and I just only buy jeans if they make me look skinny.

And has anyone seen that new ad for creating a new pocket design? I wonder how that would turn out. I wish that they could just keep the plain pockets!

 

[winterise]

I really like GAP. It's one of my favorite mall stores, except that you have to be careful at times. Some of their stuff is well made and of good quality, while the other half falls apart after a couple of wears. You can usually tell whether it's worth buying just by feeling the material used, checking the zipper, etc.

 

[sstrang]

What it comes down to is this: GAP is clothing for the masses. The designs aren't original, making the wearer appear very plain and ordinary. Actually, one could even go so far as to say that clothing from GAP is a bit conformist. We must remember that the original design strategy of GAP was to create a simple, minimalist style. When GAP first opened, it was geared towards the people who weren't exactly fashion-aware--it was meant to be an easy, no-brainer way for anyone to put on clothes without much thought or effort. Because of that, I view GAP as a store that people with real style shouldn't be shopping at for their clothes. I have not, however, intended this to be taken offensively; it is merely my opinion of the store.

 

[J'aime_la_mode]

however, all wardrobes need the basics and that is what I use the gap for

 

[*Eylul*]

GAP is just another nightmare for me...these annoying posh girls wear in here and they all have the same sweatshirt which is horrible,and they think it is so great to have one and wear them with pride and all.Their clothes suck and i would never spend money on its products