Throughout his career, Robinson has demonstrated a single-mindedness about image control, including his own.
But at Gap, Robinson said, he is comfortable working within a large corporate environment. That said, he has continued to assert the need for creative control: last week the company dismissed its European design staff, adding the duties for creating lines for international markets to Robinson’s purview. The move raised eyebrows among those who have wondered whether ego had caused his problems at Perry Ellis and Paco Rabanne. But Robinson said the hoopla had not made any difference to the success of his collections.
Gary Muto, the president of Gap’s adult and body divisions, said Robinson’s arrival at the company had revitalized its design staff, describing the difference as “night and day.” Part of the reason is that the designs are selling, he said, citing a deep V-neck shirt and pull-on skirt introduced this summer as an illustration of how classic clothes could be fashionably updated.
“Where we’re going to win is with those items that are truly versatile, that a person can dress up or dress down and still be able to express their own personal style,” he said.
Robinson has demonstrated that he is a versatile designer, and one who has learned when to let the product speak louder than the personality.
“Speaking honestly, when I was younger, I really wanted the fame thing,” he said. “It was part of the game of being a fashion designer. But that doesn’t turn me on anymore. What turns me on — my soul — is making cool clothes and being part of a company where I can actually see the difference I’m making. I’m not just spinning my wheels and getting the clothes into five stores in America.”
One thing that stands out about Robinson’s collection for Gap is how similar it looks to his work for Perry Ellis, with loose popover plaid dresses, sleeveless wool jackets and cropped cargo pants in mushroomy grays, layered up with artsy knits — clothes that fashion editors had clamored about back then but customers never had a chance to buy. Now anyone can at Gap, even those who have never heard of Robinson.
“It’s definitely a major improvement,” said Rie Cochran, a 21-year-old secretary from Marshall, Michigan, as she left the Fifth Avenue store. “It’s chic, but still subdued.”
Nevertheless, she walked out empty-handed.
RSS