The news that Gap is to disappear from British high streets has sparked a wave of nostalgia for the brand, which was born in San Francisco in 1969 and came to the UK in 1987, bringing with it a slice of American cool.
Gap had lost its way in recent years, cast aside in favour of Scandi or Tokyo chic, and the retailer quit TV advertising more than a decade ago to focus marketing efforts on incessant emails offering discounts. But Gap once did memorable work (mostly in house) featuring A List celebrities or ensemble casts, often with great soundtracks.
Sarah Jessica Parker 2010
Madonna and Missy Elliott 2003
As recently as 2017, UK Vogue editor Edward Enninful made a “Bridging the Gap” campaign embracing diversity and starring some famous names including Alex Wek and Christie Brinkley.
