Gap + Music: How Fashiontainment Is Changing the Game
In the world of marketing, there really are no limits to collaboration anymore. Fashion campaigns bring in music fans, musicians introduce new fashion trends, and influencers can sell just about anything. It’s the new generation of marketing. And the only way to stay on top? Evolve, adapt, and constantly redefine style.
Take Troye Sivan’s “Get Loose” campaign, for example. The focus was loose-fit denim, something that’s been shaping fashion over the past few years as we’ve moved away from skinny jeans and fully embraced baggier silhouettes. The campaign featured Sivan dancing to Thundercat’s “Funny Thing,” tapping into the song’s popularity to reach an even wider audience. The video feels funky, fun, and completely free, but most importantly, it’s original.
The fall campaign leaned into the resurgence of ’90s-style denim while hopping on social media trends, which made it a clear success. Sivan was the perfect face for the release. The choreography by Reis highlighted the comfort and flexibility of the denim, reinforcing the idea that you can truly “get loose” in it—something that was never really possible with skinny jeans. With over 30 million views, it’s safe to say the campaign did exactly what it was supposed to do.
That success created a bit of a domino effect, leading to Katseye becoming the face of Gap’s “Better in Denim”campaign. This collaboration introduced the group to a massive audience of K-pop fans while pulling them into a whole new fashion space. Katseye had already been gaining attention since Dream Academy, the competition series that formed the group, followed by the documentary Popstar Academy: Katseye, which gave viewers a behind-the-scenes look at their intense training and audition process. It’s not every day that HYBE and Geffen Records collaborate, so it was very much a “go big or go home” moment, and the girls understood the assignment.
Despite only having two EPs, Katseye already had multiple breakthrough songs and Billboard-charting hits at the time, and now, two Grammy nominations to top it off. One of the hottest groups this year, it feels like everyone wants to work with them. So why Gap? Beyond their undeniable talent, their Y2K-inspired fashion has played a huge role in their popularity. They wear it effortlessly. Low-rise denim, baggy jeans, and dancing to “Milkshake” by Kelis in Gap? That’s peak Y2K energy.
Sienna Spiro became the third key piece in Gap’s return to what could be called a “fashiontainment” strategy. In the “Give Your Gift” holiday campaign, Spiro performed her own interpretation of “The Climb,” surrounded by a multigenerational choir. The visuals emphasized unity, strength, love, and positivity, everything associated with the holiday season. Spiro carried the message beautifully while also spotlighting Gap’s CashSoft collection as a modern holiday staple.
What’s interesting is that Gap could have easily chosen established music veterans, artists who’ve already headlined the biggest stages. Instead, they focused on artists who are still on their way up, developing their identities and building their own styles, all while speaking to completely different audiences. These campaigns worked because the authenticity of these artists embodied different versions of freedom, youth, and self-expression, everything Gap wants to be associated with.
A few years ago, Gap was simply part of the Y2K revival, another early-2000s logo becoming trendy again. This time, instead of relying on already-famous faces, they leaned into rising artists, using fashion to grow alongside them rather than looking back. Genius, if you ask me.
