Gap and Rhode Island School of Design Bring the 'Art of the Cardigan' to NYC's Fifth...

Gap and Rhode Island School of Design Bring the 'Art of the Cardigan' to NYC's
Fifth Avenue

Inventive RISD Students Put a High Fashion Twist on a Classic Gap Cardigan

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Gap unveiled works of original
art from Rhode Island School of Design [RISD] students and faculty. Their
canvas? Gap's new spring cardigan. In a unique partnership, Gap enlisted
leading RISD students to deconstruct, rethink and rework its latest spring
cardigans to create original pieces that reflect their own fashion
point-of-view. Thirty one-of-a-kind cardigans [$68] are now available
exclusively at Gap's rotating concept venue adjacent to its flagship store at
54th and 5th Ave.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090227/SF75664)

"When Gap invited our students to take a fresh look at the new spring
cardigans, they were only given one simple guideline: Keep them wearable,"
said Donna Gustavsen, head of RISD's department of Apparel Design. "Our
students responded with freshness, ingenuity and subtle surprises that are
edgy, fun and inspired - a lot like the talented students who created them."

Using materials such as tulle, hand-rolled beads made from recycled paper,
vintage lace, fabric dye and more, the students transformed Gap's classic
cardigans into unique and bold pieces that communicate Gap's focus on the
importance of individual style. The students used a variety of techniques to
create these original pieces, including changing the silhouette and adding
embellishments to express their unique look.

The newly revamped cardigans were created by students from a diverse range of
disciplines - including printmaking, sculpture, industrial design, textiles
and apparel design.

"We are thrilled to be working with this nationally acclaimed design school
and are impressed with the designs the students created," said Ivy Ross,
executive vice president, Gap Marketing. "Fashion is meant to spark the
imagination, and these truly original cardigans express the creativity and
individual styles of a very talented group of up-and-coming young designers
and artists."

Meet the RISD Designers

-- Abigail Glass, Atlanta, GA, Intended Major - Apparel Design: Class of
2012
-- Aidan Vitti, Franklin, MA, Apparel Design: Class of 2009
-- Amie Schow, Mill Valley, CA, Intended Major - Apparel Design: Class of
2012
-- Andrea Jacinto, Manila, Philippines, Apparel Design: Class of 2010
-- Cathryn Hunt, Spartanburg, SC, Apparel Design: Class of 2010
-- Chris Fernald, Marietta, GA, Printmaking: Class of 2012
-- Donna Gustavsen, Head, Apparel Design Department, RISD
-- Edda Thors, Barrington, IL, Apparel Design: Class of 2010
-- Ester Lee, Issaquah, WA, Apparel Design: Class of 2011
-- Gina Song, Lewisville, TX, Intended Major - Industrial Design: Class
of
2012
-- Ryan Novelline, Lexington, MA, Undeclared Major: Class of 2012
-- Hannah Wnorowski, Syracuse, NY, Intended Major - Textiles: Class of
2012
-- Heather Dishuk, Oakland, NJ, Apparel Design: Class of 2011
-- Huong Nguyen, Orlando, FL, Textiles: Class of 2010
-- Hye Min Kang, Korea, Apparel Design: Class of 2010
-- Lindsay Perkins, Taipei, Taiwan, Apparel Design: Class of 2010
-- Mallika Dalal, Bombay, India, Textiles: Class of 2011
-- Meg DeCubellis, Lecturer, Apparel Design Department, RISD
-- Melissa Dishuk, Oakland, NJ, Apparel Design: Class of 2011
-- Misha Kahn, Duluth, MN, Furniture: Class of 2011
-- NaRe Namgoong, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Textiles: Class of 2009
-- Paulina Pagan, San Juan, PR, Environmental Science & Visual Art:
Class of 2011
-- Sara Paquette, Rutland, VT, Intended Major - Textiles: Class of 2012
-- Scott Stevenson, Marshfield, WI, Apparel Design: Class of 2010
-- Sheridan Irwin, Santa Barbara, CA, Apparel Design: Class of 2010
-- Suzanne Mancini, Lecturer, Apparel Design Department, RISD
-- Tham Yoke Teng, Singapore, Foundation Studies: Class of 2012

In addition to the unique designs from RISD's top design students, Gap's
original cardigans will also be available in a range of bright and bold spring
colors in stripes and solids [$44].

Details about Gap's Art of the Cardigan Shop:

WHEN: Friday, February 27 through Sunday, March 22, 2009

Store Hours: Monday - Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sunday: 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

WHERE: 680 Fifth Avenue [between 53rd and 54th Streets], New York

About Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) has earned a worldwide reputation as the
preeminent art and design college in the country. Today, with more than 26,000
alumni, the college enrolls 1,926 undergraduates and 426 graduate students
from the United States and almost 50 countries, offering degree programs in
the fine arts, architecture, and design disciplines, and art education.
Academic programs include research and design initiatives, the exploration of
art criticism and contemporary cultural concerns, as well as international
exchange programs. Each year, RISD hosts prominent and accomplished artists,
critics, and authors to its campus. Included within the college is The RISD
Museum of Art, which houses a world-class collection of art objects from
Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome and art of all periods from Asia, Europe and
the Americas, as well as the latest in contemporary art. For more
information, visit www.risd.edu or our.risd.edu.

About Gap Inc.
Gap Inc. is a leading global specialty retailer offering clothing, accessories
and personal care products for men, women, children and babies under the Gap,
Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta brand names. Fiscal 2008
sales were $14.5 billion. Gap Inc. operates more than 3,100 stores in the
United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Japan and Ireland. In
addition, Gap Inc. is expanding its international presence with franchise
agreements in Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. For more
information, please visit gapinc.com.

Media Contacts:

Katie O'Kane Kim Terry
SS+K for Gap Gap Marketing & PR
kokane@ssk.com kimberly_terry@gap.com
212.419.3374 415.427.4844

Jaime Marland
Rhode Island School of Design
jmarland@risd.edu
401.427.6954

SOURCE Gap Inc.

Katie O'Kane of SS+K for Gap, +1-212-419-3374, kokane@ssk.com; Kim Terry of
Gap Marketing & PR, +1-415-427-4844, kimberly_terry@gap.com; Jaime Marland of
Rhode Island School of Design, +1-401-427-6954, jmarland@risd.edu