The simple and brief Gap logo represents the world’s third-largest clothing store chain. The concise lettering style of visualization reflects the brand’s philosophy and reveals its hidden meaning – a generation gap.
Gap: Brand overview
Founded: | August 21, 1969 |
Founder: | Donald Fisher, Doris F. Fisher |
Headquarters: | San Francisco, California, U.S. |
Website: | gapinc.com |
Meaning and History
Although all Gap logos contain the same short inscription, they look completely different. Thanks to the team of designers, the first version is radically different from the last.
What is Gap?
The Gap is an American clothing manufacturer that sells its products in brand stores. It owns more than 3,500 outlets worldwide and several subsidiaries.
1969 – 1976
The opening emblem consists of two words: “the” and “gap”. They are written in lowercase letters with serifs, where “g,” “a,” and “p” are circles of the same size with lateral strokes, and “t” resembles a cross and is connected to “h.” The article “the” is placed at the top and an angle.
1976 – 1986
After a minor update, the logo looks different. The designers emphasized the first word, aligning it horizontally and bolding the letters. As a result, the spaces between “t,” “e,” and “h” were reduced so much that they began to touch at the extreme points.
1986 – 2016
In 1986, a sign called the Blue Box appeared. This time, the creators placed the inscription in a blue square. The word “GAP” is written in capital letters, stretching upwards and adorned with short serifs. The article “the” disappeared and did not reappear, symbolizing the years 1976-1986.
2010
In 2010, another attempt was made to change the corporate style, but it was unsuccessful. Customers criticized the bold inscription “Gap” with a blue square in the upper left corner. This logo was used for only a week – from October 4 to October 11.
2016 – today
Six years after the unsuccessful redesign, the company introduced a new logo. The developers simply removed the geometric figure behind the word “GAP,” thus changing the design of the 1986 logo.
Gap: Interesting Facts
Gap Inc. is a famous American store that sells clothes and accessories. It’s well-known for making casual clothes, like popular jeans.
- How It Started: Gap was created in San Francisco in 1969 by Donald Fisher and his wife, Doris. They named it “Gap” to represent the differences in what music and clothes people liked between parents and kids.
- The First Store: The first Gap store wanted to make buying jeans easy. They sold Levi’s jeans and music records, mixing music and fashion for young people.
- Creating Their Clothes: At first, Gap sold clothes from other brands, like Levi’s. But in 1974, they started making their clothes, which was a big step.
- Going Global: 1987 Gap opened a store in London, its first step outside the USA. Now, Gap has stores in over 90 countries.
- Other Brands: Gap also owns Banana Republic, which they bought in 1983 and turned into a fancy brand, and Old Navy, which they started in 1994 to sell cheaper clothes.
- Caring About the Planet and People: Gap works hard not to harm the planet, treat people fairly, and ensure the clothes are made correctly.
- Logo Oops: In 2010, Gap changed its logo, but people didn’t like it. So, they quickly changed it back to the old one.
- Cool Ads: Gap is known for fun ads that stick in your head, like the “Fall Into the Gap” songs and ads with famous people wearing khakis.
- Working With Famous People: Gap has collaborated with famous designers and brands to create special clothes, keeping It interesting for everyone.
- Inspiring a Band: There’s a band called The Gap Band, which got its name from seeing a Gap store. They have fun songs like “You Dropped a Bomb on Me.”
Gap started with jeans and music and grew into a big name in fashion worldwide. They care about making good clothes, the environment, and staying cool with fun ads and collaborations.
Font and Colors
The corporation’s trademark is the embodiment of minimalism. It reflects the essence of Gap since it contains only the name of the store chain without unnecessary decorative elements.
The font used in the logo is generally similar to Spire Regular by Ann Pomeroy. It is an adapted version, as the designers worked with serifs and stroke weight.
The color palette is as minimalist as the logo’s structure. If previously, before 2016, there was a large dark blue square behind the inscription, now the background is white. The word “GAP”, on the other hand, is black.
FAQ
What does the Gap logo mean?
The logo with the inscription “GAP” represents the brand name deciphered as “generation gap.”
Why did Gap change its logo?
Gap changed its logo because it considered its branding outdated. It wanted something new.
When did Gap change its logo?
The last update of the Gap logo occurred on January 1, 2016.
Who developed the unsuccessful Gap logo?
The New York creative agency Laird & Partners developed the unsuccessful Gap logo.