Maintaining brand identity Gap will close 200 stores worldwide
For 40 consecutive years, Gap has always been the preferred casual mother and yuppie casual wear . They are able to cater to the tastes of fashion-conscious consumers. Most of their consumers are a little overblown and like practical clothes. But things have changed: Gap is cutting back.
At a consumer press release posted on the company's Web site, the brand's chairman and chief executive, Glenn Murphy, announced that by 2013 Gap will close 200 of the 900 stores worldwide and will focus primarily on the modernization of the Gap styling. He also acknowledged that Gap did not try its best to attract the ethnic minorities in the United States.
Murphy did his best to underline the positive side of the move. He said it was "a tremendous opportunity ... to add trendsetting products ... to concentrate on developing new product categories." Their marketing will shift to "gain new customers."
In 1969, Gap opened its first store in San Francisco. The curator at the time was businessman Don Fisher, who died in 2009. Their sales of cotton clothing and jeans, with its easy cut, dominates the American middle-class dresses. Their clothing has a campus style, but not rigid. The brand's name, proposed by Fisher's wife Doris, comes from the word "generationgap." Their clothes just fit the new generation of consumers - they do not want to wear like their parents.
Gap: synonymous with contemporary casual wear
Now, Gap still take this as its purpose. With practical basic models and classic clothing, this American chain has become synonymous with contemporary casual wear. In the store enduring styles are: Chinos pants, jeans, white shirt. Recently, their design team is also changing, began to cooperate with high-end designers, the brand development to a new direction.
Anita Borzyszkowska, Head of Global PR at Gap, said: "Eighteen months ago we focused on the denim line to improve the fabric, fit and detail, making $ 20 worth of jeans worth $ 200." Recently they also made "black Pants "and" Perfect Pants "series. Borzyszkowska said: "Gap is the most successful when it comes to finding the right place in the trend, with flared pants and wide-leg pants that are always attractive, no matter if you keep up with the trend."
Stacey Duguid, Elle's fashion editor, said: "Gap has always insisted on the identity of their brand, never made a particularly big change in the trend.Gap's clothing is usually recognized at a glance, I think in the current atmosphere It's not necessarily a bad thing. "
The brand has also had a successful history of working with designers such as Roland Mouret's dress and Alexander Wang hunting series. Last quarter, they partnered with Valentino, an Italian fashion house, to launch a collection that featured folds and zippers on Gha's flagship khaki apparel. And Stella McCartney's children's collection - popular with consumers despite its high price compared to other high street children's wear.
So what Murphy said about closing stores and changing directions does not seem so bad. These moves show that the overall fashion industry has been affected as cotton prices rise and consumption has shrunk.
To this end, Gap has expanded its target customer base: their ads are targeted at people aged 25-30 and later to newborns and adults. Therefore, their consumer base is greater than Topshop and H & M.
Kay Barron, a fashion news editor at Grazia, said: "People are loyal to Gap, they know what they get, they are credible, friendly, and they're all basic."
Gap Yearbook:
In August 1969, Don and Doris Fisher opened their first Gap store in San Francisco.
In 1973, it increased to 25 stores, including outside California.
In 1974, Gap began selling its own branded merchandise.
In 1984, resolutely discontinued all brand clothing, except Levi's.
In 1986, the first GapKids store opened.
In 1987, the first international shop opened in London.
In 1990, launched babyGap brand.
In 1991, the sale of Levi's to stop, only the sale of Gap brand clothing.
In 2004, Donald Fisher stepped back and his son, Robert, took over from the chair. In 2011, Gap announced the closure of 200 stores.
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