Photo: Christian Ferretti/ Courtesy of Gap

“Get It at the Gap”—though maybe not as catchy as “Fall Into the Gap,” a tune Gen Xers can still hum without missing a beat—was one of the US chain’s early TV slogans. Back in the 1980s, when Gap ruled the mall, you really could get everything there: jeans, t-shirts, sweaters, sweats. Everything, that is, except bags. Fast forward a few decades: now, amid a brand revival that the internet has inevitably dubbed the “Gapassaince,” the company is launching handbags.

The man behind GapBags is Reed Krakoff, who knows a thing or two about comebacks. He turned Coach’s fortunes around in the 2000s (and made his own along the way), then went on to work at Tiffany & Co. and John Hardy. His task at Gap, as he puts it, is to “capture the essence of the brand in a handbag.” And what’s that essence? “Iconic American style, simple but not plain… built on the idea that luxury is the coming together of style, utility, and design,” he explains.

Photo: Christian Ferretti/ Courtesy of Gap
Photo: Christian Ferretti/ Courtesy of Gap

So, among other items, there’s a Five-Pocket Tote, inspired by Gap’s five-pocket jeans, available in denim, canvas, or faux suede. There’s also a Hoodie Tote, which takes the arch logo from Gap’s ubiquitous sweatshirts and turns it into a cozy, gym-friendly fleece bag. Prices barely reach three figures.

Shaving a zero—or two!—off the typical cost of a designer handbag feels great. But Krakoff, who shopped at the Westport, Connecticut, Gap in his own Gen X youth and has recently been named Gap Inc.’s Executive Director of Accessories, says accessibility “is just one piece of the puzzle.” In fact, from his perspective, “that whole overused word ‘luxury’ is not about price at all. It’s really about great design, great functionality—something that works for people.”

Photo: Christian Ferretti/ Courtesy of Gap
Photo: Christian Ferretti/ Courtesy of Gap

By “people,” he means “different kinds of people,” who will wear them in “different ways.” That could be his wife, interior designer Delphine Krakoff, or his daughters, who range in age from 30 to just out of their teens. “You know, people that carry a Birkin I believe will carry a GapBag, and people that carry a Coach bag will carry a GapBag,” Krakoff says. “And transcending that price positioning is what’s key to success and key to making it really different.”

How did a guy who most recently worked at Tiffany & Co. and John Hardy “fall into the Gap,” as the saying goes? “I grew up” with the brand, he says. “It’s been part of my life, as it has for so many people around the world, for as long as I can remember.” The fun for him was in getting reacquainted. “I ended up going back to this sort of American aesthetic of form follows function. If you have a five-pocket jean, why wouldn’t you have a five-pocket tote?” Simple, yes, but definitely not plain—especially not for New Yorkers who can get their totes customized at the Gap pop-up in Rockefeller Center during New York Fashion Week.

The GapBag collection will be available for sale at gap.com on September 8.

Reed Krakoff, Gap Inc.’s Executive Director of Accessories.
Photo: Courtesy of Reed Krakoff

Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about the GapBags concept based on the tagline Youve got five pockets in your jeansso why not five in your tote

General Concept Questions

Q What exactly is a GapBag
A GapBags are a line of tote bags designed with five distinct deep internal pockets The goal is to organize your belongings so you dont have to dig around in a black hole of a bag to find your keys or phone

Q Why five pockets Whats the logic behind that
A The design is based on the anatomy of a classic pair of jeans You have two front pockets for quick access a coin pocket for small items and two back pockets for larger items GapBags apply that same layout to a tote ensuring every category of item has a designated home

Q Are these bags made by the clothing brand Gap
A No Despite the name GapBags is a play on the word gap and the gap in the market for organized totes It is a design conceptindependent product not affiliated with The Gap clothing store

Q Is this a real product I can buy right now
A The concept is presented as a design solution If it is a crowdfunding campaign or a new startup it would be in the preorder phase If its a design exercise it is a mockup The FAQ assumes it is a product available for preorder or launch

Features Benefits

Q What am I supposed to put in each of the five pockets
A Typically the layout works like this
Front Left Phone and keys
Front Right Sunglasses case or earbuds
Coin Pocket Lip balm AirPods or loose change
Back Left Wallet or checkbook
Back Right Water bottle or umbrella

Q How is this different from a regular tote with a pouch inside