There's a precious artifact in my guest room closet: a cornflower blue fleece hoodie with three instantly recognizable letters emblazoned across the front: GAP. The hoodie was a gift from my parents circa 1997, and I wore it proudly for years before stashing it away for safekeeping. Nearly 30 years later, that sweatshirt still means a lot to me — and apparently, now a whole new group of people!
Gap has had its fair share of changes, but the retailer holds a special place in so many hearts. The San Francisco-based store was founded in 1969 and became known for its denim, peaking in the '90s with its iconic commercials and cool, casual khakis, tech vests, logo tees and hoodies like my childhood fave, and signature colorful, striped holiday sweaters.
Fashion fans have such fond memories of their Gap's older days that many have begun collecting vintage Gap. Some speak highly of the quality, especially in older items, as today's mall and fast fashion pieces are often low-quality and fall apart after a few washes and wears. Some hunt for “holy grail” pieces like colorful 2000s-era holiday sweaters and scarves.
According to the digital secondhand retailer ThredUp, more and more people are opting for online resale and secondhand shopping — including to save money and for sustainability purposes — and Gap is one of the platform's most-shopped brands, landing at number five on their top ten list. (The report also notes that resale is “no longer a secondary option,” and that many consumers are going directly to secondhand sites to shop.)
Gap has experienced a cultural resurgence of sorts in recent years, putting it back at the forefront after some years of dormancy. “Gap’s resurgence is a masterclass in cultural repositioning,” says Cynthia Lee, ThredUp’s Head of Merchandising. “By moving away from a discount-heavy identity, the brand has pivoted toward a model of scarcity, storytelling, and tactical brand heat.” Lee cites collaborations with LoveShackFancy, Béis, and Sandy Liang, the appointment of designer Zac Posen as creative director, and marketing campaigns reminiscent of the iconic Gap ads of the ‘90s, such as the KATSEYE “Milkshake” denim ad, as among the biggest drivers of Gap’s cultural relevance. “It’s a rare ‘everyone is invited’ moment that feels authentic rather than forced,” she says.
Shoppers are buying both new Gap and vintage Gap items, says Lee, calling it a “symbiotic relationship” between the eras. “While the ‘new’ Gap is driving the current fashion conversation through viral collaborations and modern silhouettes, there is an undeniable gravitational pull toward the brand’s heritage,” Lee shares. “By the very nature of secondhand shopping, these consumers are hunting for Gap from previous seasons.” Lee points to a “definitive quality correction across the fashion industry," noting that Gen Z and millennial consumers are “increasingly prioritizing investment [pieces]" over fast fashion. “They want pieces that retain value, and Gap’s current performance reflects this trend,” she says. Gap's price points have always been accessible, both new and secondhand, but an increased interest in vintage pieces may drive up prices on resale sites.
Michael Bise, who worked for Gap from 1992 to 2006 and runs the popular Instagram account Gap Playlists, says he believes Gap's appeal “comes from its ability to accent anyone's personal style without overwhelming it.” During his time with the retailer, Bise was trained on different fabrications and cultivated an “appreciation for the clothes" that continues to today. “There's just something about it. It's a feel.”
Bise also collects Gap and cites a patchwork plaid men's shirt from holiday 1992 as his favorite item, especially for its high quality. “It looks like it's been washed twice,” he says. “I've washed it hundreds of times.” If you're looking to start a vintage Gap collection of your own or want to keep an eye out for specific pieces while thrifting, or secondhand shopping, he recommends looking for denim, particularly Gap's 2000s Long & Lean and Ultra-Low Rise Flare styles for women and plaids for men, especially for layering purposes and experimenting with color and texture combinations. “[The plaids are] beautiful,” Bise says. “I think it's the quality, the colors, and the feel. The style still comes through today.”
