Gap x Cult Gaia Collaboration Gives Classic Denim Overdue Edge

a model wears the gap cult gaia collaboration in front of a plain backdrop

(Image credit: Gap)

published 7 October 2024

When the Gap x Cult Gaia collaboration hits shelves at 9 a.m. PT on Thursday, Oct. 10, it'll bring a new approach to classic fall denim with it.

Under creative director Zac Posen, Gap has tiptoed into fresh aesthetic directions through a rotating cast of co-designers. The Gap x Dôen collaboration brought cottagecore florals and prairie lace tops, while a recent link-up with the streetwear label Madhappy introduced urban-luxe sweatsuits in varying pastels. The Gap x Cult Gaia collaboration pushes the former's reputation for reliable jeans and timeless T-shirts even further, in a 35-piece lineup spanning remixed logo sweatshirts, faux-fur outerwear, and even hardware-adorned slip dresses.

a model wears a gap cult gaia sweatshirt with a faux fur coat and fluffy sandals — Model Tina Kunakey wears a full look from the Gap x Cult Gaia collaboration.

Cult Gaia has had a, well, cult following since Jasmine Larian Hekmat opened its doors in 2012. The Los Angeles-based brand first went viral with its sculptural wooden Ark bag and earned fans from Selena Gomez to Kaia Gerber through its cut-out wedding guest dresses and cuddly matching sets in earthy tones. While Gap isn't dabbling in Cult Gaia's famed accessories (yet), the label did let Hekmat expand its definition of jeans, denim jackets, and early holiday partywear.

Standout pieces include an army green Gap logo sweatshirt emblazoned with "Gaia," an asymmetric cropped jean jacket, a white button-down with a cut-out back, and a structured denim corset even Taylor Swift may be tempted to order. This being a Gap collaboration, jeans are also present and accounted for—but this time, they have a more directional wide-leg shape. Prices range from $88 for the aforementioned top to $498 for a pair of leather pants.

a model for gap x cult gaia wears a denim jacket and jeans with pointed-toe boots — Denim-on-denim gets more experimental with an asymmetrically-closed jacket and wide-leg jeans.

“Reimagining Gap’s classic icons through Cult Gaia’s lens has been an amazing journey," Hekmat said in a press release. "The collaboration brought together Gap’s classics and everyday wearability with Cult Gaia’s sculptural and artistic approach, merging our two distinct creative forces."

a group of four models wearing gap x cult gaia pieces in front of a blue backdrop — Gap x Cult Gaia is modeled by a cast including Tina Kunakey, Kristina Byerley, Kelly Lim, Irene Law, and Christen Rhule.

Tapping into It-girl brands is just one way Gap has recently upped its fashion credentials. The brand has also designed an array of impressive custom pieces, like a corseted white shirtdress for Anne Hathaway and a denim Met Gala gown for Da'Vine Joy Randolph.

Designer collaborations from Gap's latest era have tended to sell out no matter who they're sharing a tag with. So, keep close tabs on this page: It'll be updated with the full Gap x Cult Gaia collaboration as soon as it's available to shop.

Topics

Gap

Halie LeSavage is the senior fashion and beauty news editor at Marie Claire, where she assigns, edits, and writes stories for both sections. Halie is an expert on runway trends, celebrity style, emerging fashion and beauty brands, and shopping (naturally). In over seven years as a professional journalist, Halie’s reporting has ranged from fashion week coverage spanning the Copenhagen, New York, Milan, and Paris markets, to profiles on industry insiders including stylist Alison Bornstein and J.Crew womenswear creative director Olympia Gayot, to breaking news stories on noteworthy brand collaborations and beauty launches. (She can personally confirm that Bella Hadid’s Ôrebella perfume is worth the hype.) She has also written dozens of research-backed shopping guides to finding the best tote bags, ballet flats, and more. Most of all, Halie loves to explore what trends—like the rise of doll-like Mary Janes or TikTok’s 75 Hard Style Challenge—can say about culture writ large. (She justifies almost any purchase by saying it’s “for work.”) Halie has previously held writer and editor roles at Glamour, Morning Brew, and Harper’s Bazaar. Halie has been cited as a fashion and beauty expert in The Cut, CNN Underscored, and Reuters, among other outlets, and appears in newsletters like Selleb and Self-Checkout to provide shopping recommendations. In 2022, she was awarded the Hearst Spotlight Award for excellence and innovation in fashion journalism. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Harvard College. Outside of work, Halie is passionate about books, baking, and her miniature Bernedoodle, Dolly. For a behind-the-scenes look at her reporting, you can follow Halie on Instagram and TikTok.

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