GQ×GAP: The Coolest Designers on the Planet - What Happened?

GQ×GAP's Coolest Designers on the Planet, (L-R): Jey Perie of Kinfolk; Alexandre Mattiusi of AMI; Yasuto Kamoshita and Poggy of United Arrows (my favourite of the three designers).

I have followed GQ's annual collaboration with the GAP since their first collection in 2012, and every year they manage to pull of some cool pieces. This year is no different. Of the three brands, AMI produced the coolest looking capsule with a loose-fitting silhouette combined with colourful and chic Parisian charm. As much as I love the black and off-white horizontal stripe wool/cashmere blend sweater I didn't look good in it, and nothing else in the collection jived with me. My favourite of the three brands, United Arrows, is a quirky mix of traditional tailoring (Yasuto Kamoshita) and street style (Poggy) coalescing into a unique aesthetic only the Japanese can create. Their coolest pieces for me were the railroad stripe denim coveralls, and the camel and navy wool argyle sweater vest, both of which I picked up for 50% off during the GAP's Black Friday sale.

United Arrows camel and navy wool argyle sweater vests piled up on Black Friday at the Metrotown GAP. One of my favourite pieces, I originally though it was a regular sweater with a slouchy fit but lost interest when I found out it was a sweater vest. It gradually grew on me, however. Got my XS!

More United Arrow sweater vests, this time buried under some regular sweaters at the CF Pacific Centre GAP—likewise during Black Friday.

United Arrows oversized raglan sleeve check coat, and United Arrows down jacket all available in my size; Metrotown GAP.

United Arrows railroad stripe coveralls, left: Metrotown GAP; right: CF Pacific Centre GAP. The coveralls were only available online until they were "sold out" one month later, but here they are in stores.

A few AMI wool/cashmere sweaters remaining. The black and cream striped jumper was the best selling item, almost selling out online with a limited store supply. AMI easily had the coolest looking capsule of the three.

Which brings me to my post.

So what happened to the so-called Coolest Designers on the Planet? Not much, really. The collection released on its usual scheduled last Tuesday of September—the 26th to be exact. Like last year, the collection was available online but the store shipments came late. Vancouver GAP stores did not carry any of the collaborative pieces until the end of the week, and even then the merchandise came in piece-meal deliveries; the marketing campaign was up, but the product was sparse. The best selling item was AMI's striped jumper; all that remained online were XLs, and stores quantities were limited.

As far as collaborations go, the hype behind all GQ×GAP releases have been virtually non-existent. Sure, GQ published a few videos detailing their international search and settling on the three brands, but it's all internal promotion. The glitz and glamour simply is not there. There are no line ups, no night-before campers, and definitely no resellers. Previous collections on ebay are marked up with a marginal premium only because they are no longer available and not because they are coveted in anyway; there is no ROI in GQ×GAP collaborations' resale.

AMI chunky leather velcro sneakers, GAP Metrotown, crammed into a small cubby hole. These could have been nice to pick up if I didn't already have enough shoes.

AMI parka to the far right; United Arrows oversized raglan sleeve check coat on the right; the few remaining standout AMI striped pullover; and some Kinfolk hoodies mixed in with regular GAP merchandise—during Black Friday, one month after the collection's release.

Abundant United Arrows wide-leg chinos in khaki and navy; GAP CF Pacific Centre

Kinfolk's green and cream carpenter pant, CF Pacific Centre GAP. Better known for its lifestyle publication, Kinfolk produced the weakest capsule, in my opinion. It was full of basics with little consideration for design, instead focusing mainly on plastering "KINFOLK" on everything. It lacked an identity just as AMI and United Arrows was full of it (save for the t-shirts, sweatshirts, and hoodies).

What's the difference between GAP's collaborations and, say, H&M's designer partnerships? For one, H&M has become a much larger retail institution. They focus on trends, product turnover, and targeting millennials and younger demographics; their prices are ridiculously low; H&M selectively partners with often well established luxury designers (while the premise of GQ and GAP's partnership focuses on relatively new designers); and they have a monstrous marketing budget and social media presence. Their most recent collaboration with Erdem, while not as big and shiny as previous releases which included the likes of KENZO, Balmain (arguably the most successful), Alexander Wang, Marni, Isabel Marant, Versace, and Karl Lagerfeld, still sold out in record time. By the end of release day only a few items, mostly accessories and footwear, remained.

But the biggest factor by far that separates GAP from H&M is that the latter releases designer product lines for both women and men, with a greater focus on the former, and that makes a huge difference. H&M's collaborations are featured in print and online fashion editorials for both sexes, which garners more exposure and fuelling the hype before release. All the things that H&M are, the GAP are not.

One month after GQ×GAP's Coolest Designers on the Planet dropped, the GAP's webpage no longer sells any of it, citing popularity and selling out. False. All remaining merchandise have been shipped to various GAP stores where the campaign is no longer active, and items are separated and blended in with regular GAP stock, some items discounted by as much as 40%.

By the last week of November, all items are "sold out" on the GAP's website, but anyone following closely knows it not to be true. Stock started springing up and being blended into the racks, fixtures, and shelves along with regular GAP goods. Great for customers (still itching to pick up some United Arrows pieces), not so much for the GAP.

AMI 100% cashmere boxy v-neck jumper; one of the pricier luxurious pieces—GAP Metrotown. I wish I could make this work.

The haphazardly folded and stuffed purple "So Fancy" and yellow "GAP & UA" sweat t-shirts from United Arrows; GAP Metrotown

Rack full of sweatshirts and hoodies from all GQ×GAP brands. Interestingly, this year each brand put forth at least one sweatshirt, one hoodie, and a t-shirt or two with United Arrows leading the pack. Looks like GQ is starting to run out of ideas.

Saturdays NYC white corduroy pants form last year's All-Star Collection. If this is any indication, The Coolest Designers on the Planet collection may very well be the final collaboration between GQ and the GAP.

The GAP brand is not what it used to be (and neither is GQ, but that's for another post), peaking in the mid to late-90s and airing these annoying but effective musical/dancing commercials up until the early 2000s that still run in some form or other today. GAP does not excite anymore. It is now known for its perpetual discounts and weekly deals. Why buy anything full-price when I can wait a month and get it on sale? If I wait longer, I can get a hefty discount on the sale ticket price.

The company is shifting its focus away from the GAP to Old Navy where they see growth potential in the fast-fashion sector. Having done four GQ×GAP collections, one All-Star collection, and now an international cohort, I don't know what else GQ and the GAP can do. GAP×Human Made? GAP×Greg Lauren? GAP×VETEMENTS? (Ha ha, no. More like H&M×VETEMENTS). It would seem like the trend of collaborations between brands is not slowing down; if anything it's rampant. There are too many to count, many of them unknown and obscure to pedestrian shoppers and consumers, but I suppose that's the point. GQ×GAP is a modest partnership I appreciate. Were it not for the GAP's damaged reputation, or GQ's state of purgatory, the annual BNMDA capsules would be more enticing. Perhaps this partnership has run its course, or GQ will produce the collaboration with Old Navy instead? We'll see next September if there is a renewed interest, and announcement of another collection.