Selma Blair and Labrinth Lead a Cast of 'Icons' for Gap's Fall Campaign

Gap's latest campaign wants to redefine—or rather, expand—the meaning of the term “icon.” The apparel retailer, which is attempting a creative renaissance fueled by “American optimism,” launched its “Icons” campaign on Sept. 6 with a cast of people Gap’s global head of marketing, Mary Alderete, referred to as “culture shapers.” Emmy-nominated singer, songwriter and producer Labrinth—the creative force behind the soundtrack of HBO’s hit series Euphoria—joins an all-star lineup including actor, author and multiple sclerosis advocate Selma Blair; model, author and activist Cameron Russell; NASCAR’s first female Arabic driver, Toni Breidinger; and model, actor and mental health advocate Lucky Blue Smith. The campaign reimagines iconography as it applies not only to the cast, but also to the brand’s classic wardrobe essentials. “At Gap, icons are a symbol of timeless individuality, and there’s nothing more iconic than shaping culture by amplifying your true self and talent,” Alderete said in a statement. Iconic looks Alderete told Adweek the campaign—conceived by Gap global creative director Len Peltier and directed by Koto Bolofo—pays homage to some of the brand’s most timeless styles. Gap released two videos, one with Labrinth performing an interpretation of the brand’s classic jingle and tagline, “Fall into the Gap,” while wearing a white cotton shirt, and one featuring Blair candidly speaking about her personal Hollywood style icons as she poses in a pair of oversized men’s khakis she chose for the shoot with an oversized black men’s shirt. In the same video, Blair—best known for the ‘90s and early aughts classic films Cruel Intentions and Legally Blonde—switches up to a more modern and fitted ensemble, while proudly brandishing the cane she now uses to walk. Alderete cited Blair’s “youthful energy” throughout the shoot. "She showed up as a powerful force,” she said. “When we first showed the selects to our president, Mark [Breitbard], the one of her in that chair literally just silenced the whole room. We knew that that had to be the icon of the whole campaign.” The brand styled Breidinger in its motor jacket to reflect her historic (and literal) track record in a male-dominated sport, while Russell, whom Alderete described as “a storyteller trying to drive evolution,” dons ‘70s era flared denim complemented by a trucker jacket. “The matching of the icons with their icons was really sort of mind-blowing for us in terms of bringing each [look] to life,” she added. The retailer has once again been intentional about its casting choices, selecting individuals who embody the company’s ethos of “creating positive change by simply being their truest self.” In fact, two of the campaign’s stars have history with either Gap itself or with Alderete and Peltier, while another was the natural succession in an already fruitful relationship. “[Selma] used to work at the Gap,” Alderete said. “She was also in a 2008 Gap commercial with [The Office actor] Rainn Wilson.” Alderete and Peltier previously worked with Smith when both were at Levi’s and shot the then-15-year-old model playing drums next to the (also iconic) Hollywood sign. For Alderete and her team, having the now-24-year-old high-fashion veteran model the brand’s classic pocket tee was somewhat of a full-circle moment. Gap’s collaboration with Labrinth—who will be releasing a new album in the coming weeks—is a continuation of its work with stars from Euphoria. The brand previously featured actor Angus Cloud in its Fall 2021 campaign, who has since become the show’s breakout star and a certified fashion darling. Alderete credited Peltier, who was an avid fan of the show and its soundtrack, with having what she calls “a lens” for finding “established, emerging and exploding talent” that aligns seamlessly with the brand’s style and values. “One of the best things about the campaign is that our digital experience on the homepage is [going to] be a real storytelling-intensive experience, where you learn a little something about the cast and then you understand that connection to the [clothing] icon that they’re wearing,” she added. "Icons" is running across digital media, out-of-home and Gap’s brand channels. Gap Logo Remix The brand also announced the launch of Gap Logo Remix, a design contest showcasing another notable style icon for the brand: its logo hoodie. From Sept. 6-27, entrants can submit their logo designs via the website for a chance to win up to $15,000 and have their design made into Gap NFTs and physical hoodies, which will then be sold on gap.com. The public will vote on the designs through the brand’s Discord channel. “The hoodie is a big icon that we use for creative expression. It was natural to bring the hoodie into the metaverse, which we did with our launch and we’ve done subsequently with [Dapper Dan]. Now we’re putting it out there for our customers in the metaverse creative world.” Alderete and her team have been keen on adopting more innovative ways to keep the brand’s community engaged, citing a recent partnership with Dogami featuring the brand’s pet apparel collection, and additional metaverse initiatives such as Club Roblox. Gap has also previously gamified NFT collections with designers Demit Omphroy and Frank Ape. “For this campaign, we’re focused more on digital enhancement because it’s much more [about] the two S’s: the storytelling and the styling," she added. "We couldn’t tell the story without having a digital, long-form expression of it.” Kohl’s Tries to Beat Shoppers’ Blues by Placing Dual Emphasis on Savings and Style