The Gap 1969 line is a tribute to denim’s timeless allure. Spearheaded by Eric Goldstein, Gap 1969 made its debut in 2009 – 40 years after Gap’s conception, marking a milestone in denim culture. Initially drawing inspiration from the iconic Levi’s 501s, Gap 1969 pays homage to classic Levi’s jacket and jean fits while adding its own twist. Once featuring multiple thread colors, covered rivets on the jean back pockets, and a single stitch on the inside of the back pocket for added convenience and feel on the hand, Gap 1969 set itself apart with its attention to detail.
Craftsmanship
At its inception, the core of Gap 1969 lay a commitment to craftsmanship and heritage. Each garment was crafted with care, ensuring a perfect fit and finish that reflected the brand’s dedication to quality. In 2009, some of Gap’s 1969 select products were Made in Italy and gave regular consumers accessibility to premium-grade denim at wallet-friendly price points (Less than $60 USD). To this day, they still pay tribute to the heritage and original silhouettes of the mid-1900s but offer their modern twist on shapes, sizes, and cuts, being accessible to the denim head and the trendy fashion connoisseur. Manufacturing for this line has since been increasingly globalized to dozens of countries around the world to meet demand and decrease the cost of production. Ultimately, this results in Gap products that still have the essence of what was the 1969 line in 2009 but with slightly less craftsmanship and dedication to quality.
What They Offer
With the timeless looks of Gap 1969 Denim and the diversity of products within this line, people worldwide still wear it, a lot. In jean styles alone, they offer bootcut, skinny, slim, straight, flare, boyfriend, and high-rise. On top of that, they offer jackets, shirts, overalls, skirts, dresses, and various denim accessories, including sizes and fittings accessible to all people interested in denim. They even offer selvage denim as sub-offerings to this diverse array of products. A type of denim that is crafted using shuttle looms. Known for its capability to prevent the unraveling of threads due to the self-edge created on each sheet of material and its perfectly imperfect characteristics.
Materials
Gap 1969 Denim is made out of either 100% cotton or a mix of cotton, polyester, spandex/elastane – A common mix for modern denim products. The 100% cotton products give users the original feel of mid-century denim. As a whole, Gap is starting to incorporate eco-friendly Telcel into its products, offering a softer, more luxurious feel. They are also incorporating recycled denim materials where possible. Though the cotton they use is not completely sustainably produced, they have a goal of 100% sustainably sourced cotton*.
*“Better Cotton, verified US-grown cotton (USCTP), organic, in-conversion (to verified organic), recycled, or regenerative.”
Gap 1969 proudly embodies denim’s enduring influence. With a steadfast commitment to evolving design, Gap 1969 stitches together the essence of heritage denim culture with the needs of the modern consumer. Thanks to the vision of Eric Goldstein, this vibrant denim collection has become a beloved staple, offering accessible renditions of the timeless mid-century denim silhouettes we all cherish.