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Key Takeaways Gap is entering handbags with GapBag, a collection that turns familiar denim and fleece details into totes, crossbodies and smaller accessories.
The company hired former Coach creative leader Reed Krakoff to give its accessories business more credibility.
The launch is part of Gap’s wider revival strategy, which focuses on restoring the brand’s cultural relevance.
Gap is extending its denim brand into handbags and betting that a deliberate push into accessories can turn everyday staples into fashion items.
According to a recent report from The Wall Street Journal, Gap is expanding beyond jeans and logo sweatshirts with a new handbag collection designed by Reed Krakoff, the former Coach creative leader credited with helping transform Coach into a global accessories giant.
The line, called GapBag, reworks some of Gap’s best-known wardrobe staples, like denim apparel and hoodies, into totes, shoulder bags, crossbodies, pouches and other small accessories. The first collection is scheduled to arrive online and in select North American Gap stores on September 8.
The effort is part of Gap’s broader attempt to regain cultural relevance and expand into new categories. The company has spent the past few years rebuilding excitement through celebrity-led marketing campaigns and design initiatives such as GapStudio, its higher-end in-house label led by creative director Zac Posen.
Gap’s comparable sales rose 10% in its most recent quarter ending August 1, showing investors evidence of a turnaround after years of uneven performance.
Differentiating Gap accessories
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