Gap’s first high-end GapStudio collection has landed – here’s what to invest in now (and what not to)

If you’ve mentally filed Gap under basic tees and everyday hoodies, today’s launch of its first-ever GapStudio collection will be a bit of a surprise. Evening wear? At Gap?

The shift is thanks to the arrival of designer Zac Posen as Gap’s creative director. The GapStudio range is our first chance to see what he’s been up to since he was hired a year ago with the brief to revive the brand’s cultural relevance.

First impressions? Slightly chaotic. The plasticky corset belts cut across the fluidity of otherwise impeccably tailored pieces. Ignore them. Ditto the teeny corset tops paired with micro bubble skirts. But dig in past the styling and you’ll find a handful of modern classics. This is exactly where Posen shines. His slinky spaghetti-strap slip dress in molten orange (also in black and pale gold) is pure forever piece territory. A dot-print navy shirt dress imbued with Hepburn-esque elegance also comes in crisp white. The pintucked short summer shirtdress is, for me, an instant annual holiday classic.

The wide-leg sailor jeans, too, are fitted and flared where it flatters most – textbook Posen. And because no Gap story is complete without a sweatshirt cameo, the zingy orange ‘Studio’ logo top deserves an appearance; it also comes in black. But let’s be honest – if you own a vintage Gap sweatshirt, that’s where the resale gold is. Gen Z knows.