GAP - It's Inception in Malaysia & Singapore

“We are delighted to bring Gap's style to customers in Southeast Asia. Singapore and Malaysia are regional shopping hubs and F J Benjamin selected some of the most well-known and prestigious retail destinations in Asia for the franchise stores," said Joshua Schulman, Gap Inc.'s managing director of International Strategic Alliances and senior vice president of Gap International Product Development and Merchandising. "As we have a strong following of customers from these markets who shop at Gap while abroad, these markets will be ideal for Gap brand's franchise debut."

At last the long-awaited first GAP store was opened on 11th October 2006 and making it's inaugural store in South East Asia before Singapore.

Artist's Impression of Wisma Atria Storefront

F J Benjamin will open Gap’s first flagship store in Singapore at Wisma Atria, in the heart of Orchard Road. Occupying about 9,000 square feet on the ground floor with street front and interior mall facades, this store is next to the busiest mass rapid transit station in Singapore. It is scheduled to open in the first week of December, in time for Christmas.

Artist's Impression of ONE Utama Storefront

In Malaysia, F J Benjamin is expected to open a Gap store in the first week of October in Central Kuala Lumpur at the Lot 10 Shopping Centre. Located on one of the city’s most prestigious shopping streets, this store will offer women’s clothing and accessories. A Gap adult store is also expected to open in the first week of October at One Utama Shopping Center, a family oriented suburban mall in Petaling Jaya. A separate Gapkids/babyGap store will also open in One Utama in the first week of December. A GapKids/babyGap store is expected to open in the third week of October at the Mid Valley Mall on the suburban edge of Kuala Lumpur. This is a premier destination for shoppers with retail entertainment and dining options.

JEANS are like bags and shoes, you can never have too many of them. This is why, despite denim being everywhere and the fact that every designer seems to have a jeans line, American retail brand Gap has gone ahead and launched its Denim Campaign this Fall season.

Dubbed “Jeans Take Shape” and developed by its creative agency Laird+ Partners, the campaign mixes iconic studio photography with graphic illustration and animation inspired by the original Gap stores in the United States and animated commercials from the 1970s.

The TV advert was filmed by acclaimed director Francis Lawrence and it features dancers wearing a variety of denim looks. The women are seen in the new skinny jeans, mini skirts and long-sleeved shirts while the guys are clad in dark, straight leg jeans and jackets.

The print campaign was photographed by famed fashion photographer David Simms and mirrors the TV ads by highlighting denim silhouettes in pops of denim blue hues against a black and white background.

Trey Laird, creative director of Gap, says in an exclusive e-mail interview:

“The entire Fall season has been part of a completely new energy for the brand. We are back on TV and back on billboards and have a much greater presence in magazines.’’

The ranges include Boyfriend, Stam and Karl, and each style is worn with its own attitude.

“The concept of the new Denim Campaign highlights an all new silhouette for Gap. In the past, we have sometimes only emphasised one style, but the excitement this season is really in the range of styles.’’

The campaign has been running in the United States since July 20, and so far it’s been a hit. Laird says the items featured in the campaign were the first items to sell out, especially the skirts and skinny jeans.

So what makes Gap jeans different from all the rest of the denim labels out there?

Laird believes it’s all about individual style, “the fact that you can wear Gap jeans in your own way, to express your own attitude”.

In Malaysia, the Denim Campaign will kick start the brand’s much-awaited opening. While there might be subtle differences in some of the items featured in the ads and the timing for the different campaigns, Laird says that the brand aims to offer a unified global style.

The Gap store opens at 3pm on Wednesday (11th October 2006) on the Ground Floor, Highstreet, 1 Utama shopping centre, Petaling Jaya. The Denim Fall collection is priced between RM199 and RM329.

For more information about GAP 1 Utama, Malaysia, please check out ShazFX and Jack|SQ on the grand opening of GAP ONE Utama Shopping Centre.