Gaping Holes at the Gap: Learn From Fashion Design Mistakes

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by Marianne Salina
Fashion School Review Columnist

June 23, 2006

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What was once a Mecca for fashion design reverie in the early '90s is now just washed out khakis and boring blue jeans. That's right, we're talking about the Gap, the most notable perpetrator of sleep-inducing fashion and apparel design. Sure, it's great for the basics--white T's and basic knit hoodies. But unfortunately, clothing design of the moment calls for the color, varied patterns, and glamour that never fit the Gap's look of "lack."

Observing the Shifts in Clothing Design


Launch Your Fashion Career from The Art Institutes

While the look of minimalism worked ten years ago, clothing design is constantly evolving, and the Gap's fashion design team didn't. Whether their fashion and apparel designs can undergo revival is a whole different question. Still, a question aspiring fashion designers should pose is: How can my career in fashion design be different from the Gap's? There are a couple of answers:

Attend Fashion Design School

Everything you need to know about clothing design basics you can learn from the racks at the Gap. The rest you will find at fashion design school. Learn how to:

Sketch and sew fashion and apparel design
Manipulate fashions and patterns with computer software
Understand marketing, selling, and fashion merchandising
Spot trends and target specific fashion market groups

Building a Vibrant Career in Fashion

Tragedy struck the Gap when it refused to stray from simplicity. Consumers frankly wanted fashion and apparel design with a bit more pizzazz. The good news for those just beginning their career in fashion is that learning from the Gap's example is far less painful. Just keep the passion for hip, current clothing design alive, and your career will stay alive, too.

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