Back in the 1990s—before it was known for outfitting laidback career women and athletic instructors—Gap was the hippest, coolest brand around. Teens and young twentysomethings flocked to the mall brand that made khaki pants, puffy vests and bootcut jeans the hot items through catchy, iconic commercials. Simplicity and minimalism was key! Bland color palettes were cool! Gap defined Normcore before Normcore was a thing.
Now, in the spirit of the ’90s fashions coming full circle (I’m looking at you, Burger Records kids), Gap is re-releasing some of its hottest pieces from the past for a limited time only. The ’90s Archive Re-issue collection features selections for men and women, available online (www.gap.com) and in select stores. There’s the logo sleeveless tee, the “Original” pocket tee, the patch-pocket skirt, high-rise denim shorts, denim jackets, logo hoodies, bodysuits, pleated khaki pants and “Reverse Fit” jeans—better known as “mom jeans.” The company is even releasing a two-minute short film, Generation Gap, which pays homage to its classic commercials.
“The ’90s is having a sartorial moment, and we have an archive of pieces that set the tone for that decade commercially and culturally, so it seemed right to re-issue some of those pieces and the stories that come with them,” says Craig Brommers, Gap’s chief marketing officer, in a press release. While he’s not wrong, not every piece exactly screams ’90s here: the logo hoodie and sleeveless tee look as if they were pulled from Aeropostale racks, as does the denim jacket. I may not be able to pull off the pleated khakis, high-rise denim shorts and pocket tee look quite like Naomi Campbell, but I can now try. . . .
Aimee Murillo is calendar editor and frequently covers film and previously contributed to the OCW’s long-running fashion column, Trendzilla. Don’t ask her what her favorite movie is unless you want to hear her lengthy defense of Showgirls.