Gap Fires Entire European Design Team

Late Friday, we reported on The Sartorialist moving from his role as an observer to one who is to be observed in the Gap‘s latest campaign. In his piece about the experience of shooting the ad, he said:

If you look back at the archives to May 2007, I announced it then that signing Patrick Robinson, to head design, was going to be the move that turned the company around.

Turns out, he was on to something, as it’s been announced that Gap is going whole hog with Robinson and has decided to shut down their entire European design arm. Explained as a cost-cutting move, the company has closed the doors on the London-based team it assembled to much press not yet three years ago, created in order to try and bring some European design ideas into the clothing company’s projects. Here’s some additional info and a bit of that aforementioned speculation for the closing by the Telegraph:

Some of the firm’s London marketing staff have also been axed and up to 80 jobs may have been affected. The company, which has 140 stores in Britain, would not confirm how many head office roles have gone.

It is understood the success of its new head of design Patrick Robinson, a former designer for Paco Rabanne and Giorgio Armani, has given Gap the confidence to rely on north American ranges.

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