< Hooded sweat shirts like this one are common sights in today's world with Gap as a highly established clothing chain.

20th Century's Most Influential Artists
The Gap: Everyday Wear
by Welton Chang

Fall into the Gap. That's what millions of people around the world have done. Gap has become one of the largest clothing retailers ever. With the 1500 stores in malls and downtowns in the USA alone, almost every person has seen, bought, and worn Gap clothing.

In 1969, The Gap started as a store that sold music and Levi's Jeans in San Francisco. Named for the "Generation Gap", the Gap started small, but it soon found its niche in nondescript clothes for the low-key. Comfort and style became the selling point for the clothing line and later accessories. By 1994, 1100 chain stores across the US had become dedicated Gap outlets. The current chic styles can be credited to Mickey Drexler, a designer that introduced a new retro spin into the company's image. Although The Gap was still a generic brand, it became an up-scale generic brand.

During Gap's history, its memorable ad campaigns included ones from the 80's, which featured hip young celebrities (Nicholas Cage and Spike Lee are two) with the Gap's nondescript apparel. The message sent was that it didn't take publicity to be like a celebrity, you could be like them just by wearing a pocket T-shirt. Another ad campaign featured Gap's khaki lines, among the people used were Ernest Hemingway, Jack Karouac, and Monroe. The line was "(Celeb's name) wore khaki's." This mildly successful advertisement came with much discontent. Many people saw that although those people wore khakis, Adolf Hitler and Mussolini wore them as well.

Now with the original lines and "Fall into the Gap" The Gap is prospering. Not only did they purchase Banana Republic, the new lines of Gap Kids, Baby Gap, and Old Navy has boosted sales considerably. The Gap is certainly one of the most influential on fashion in the 20th century. It moved us toward the "dress-down Fridays", and the fact that we could look good everyday by wearing something comfortable and stylish has given The Gap the much deserved name it is given.