Gap Partners With Awake NY on Streetwear-Inspired Collection

Awake NY's Angelo Baque and his family in the Gap campaign. — Awake NY's Angelo Baque with his wife and child in the Gap campaign. Courtesy of Gap

Gap is leaning into the streetwear space.

The San Francisco-based retailer is teaming with Awake NY, the New York-based streetwear brand founded by Queens native Angelo Baque, on a collection of adult and kids apparel and accessories.

The 27-piece Gap x Awake NY line features essentials such as sweats, utility wear, T-shirts and denim, and is inspired by the Gap archives and rooted in ‘90s streetwear culture.

“Gap has always stood for self-expression and modern American style,” said Mark Breitbard, president and chief executive officer of the Gap brand. “Partnering with Awake is one of the ways we’re bringing our heritage into today’s cultural conversation. By blending their New York perspective with our iconic roots, we’re celebrating individuality and continuing to show up in unexpected places.”

The launch will be accompanied by a campaign shot by Elissa Salas and Hidji World that celebrates families — both blood relatives and those considered family. The campaign features an eclectic group of New Yorkers, including Baque and his family, the team behind Frenchette, Potluck Club co-owner Cory NG and artist duo Planta Industrial.

“Growing up in Queens in the ’90s, Gap was part of the everyday uniform — democratic, effortless and for everyone,” said Baque, creative director of Awake NY. “This collaboration is about honoring that era of New York — the creativity, the diversity, the families and communities that shaped how we dressed and expressed ourselves. Partnering with Gap, and its global scale and reach, allows us to bring that New York energy to audiences everywhere. Reinterpreting Gap’s icons through the lens of Awake NY brings it full circle.”

The collection brings Awake NY’s signature graphic treatments and designs to nostalgic Gap staples such as heavyweight GapSweats fleece, reimagined denim and cargos in pop colors, polka dots and plaids. There’s also an athletic-inspired jersey, a limited-edition ‘47 Brand Gap × Awake NY New York Mets hat, and an exclusive co-branded blanket. Prices range from $18 to $268.

Gap x Awake NY launches March 27 at noon ET/ 9 a.m. PT on the Gap website and at select Gap stores including The Grove at Farmers Market in Los Angeles; Garden State Plaza in Paramus, N.J.; 2 Folsom Street in San Francisco, and Times Square and Flatiron in New York. In addition, a limited number of styles will be available at Awake NY’s flagship on Orchard Street in New York.

The collection will also be available internationally in the Middle East, Czechia, China, Turkey, the U.K., Japan and on Zalando.

Gap has been on a reinvention campaign of late, fueled by a string of splashy marketing campaigns and collaborations, which have resulted in a two-year run of positive comparable-store sales gains. In the fourth quarter, the company reported overall sales rose 8 percent to $1.1 billion and comps were up 7 percent. Past partnerships have been with the likes of The Brooklyn Circus and LoveShackFancy.