Fall season is upon us, New York Fashion Week is less than a month away, the September issues have hit newsstands and it feels like a new campaign is getting unveiled on a daily basis. How does a brand like Gap stand out in the hustle? With a lineup of celebrities covering several demographics and getting them to “Dress Normal.” Ah yes, normcore and while I have to refrain from all the eye rolls it actually makes sense for Gap to use this ‘back to basics’ stance mirroring their denim campaign which featured another Girls star last year.
While the lack of adverbs might frustrate some, the overall campaign looks pretty great and the choice of actors involved including Elisabeth Moss – who looks super cute in the photo above – Michael K. Williams, Zosia Mamet, Anjelica Huston and Jena Malone are faces you wouldn’t necessarily think ‘Gap ad’ upon hearing their names. This is me trying to avoid using the word ‘quirky’ because a) not all of these actors are what I would consider quirky and b) that word makes me wrinkle my nose (yes I have probably been guilty of using it in the past). See also ‘kooky.’
Gap for me is where I go to buy wardrobe staples such as sweaters, vests and shirt dresses (yes I have the same plaid flannel dress in three colors from last fall) and while it might be considered a safe/boring option there are ways to dress these items up or even down further (ultra normcore anyone?). Or add a classic sports car to the mix.
The ads will be accompanied with phrases such as “dress like no one’s watching” and “let your actions speak louder than your clothes” in that usual fashion campaign proclamation way. Gap’s Global Chief Marketing Officer Seth Farbman elaborated on this further telling Buzzfeed “There’s certainly a long tradition at Gap that people come first and that the clothes are there to make you feel like your best self, and we’ve been unapologetic about that for years. ‘Dress Normal’ is a reinforcement of that idea.” I’m guessing Farbman is also pretty happy with the Taylor Swift “Shake it Off” video that descends into a Gap-looking commercial by the end. Maybe add some black cigarette pants and three-quarter sleeve black turtlenecks to the “Dress Normal” collection.
“Dress Normal” launches September 2 and I will definitely be on the lookout for the boots and dress combo Zosia Mamet is wearing.
