Doris Fisher, co-founder of American clothing retailer Gap, has died at the age of 94, the company announced on Monday.
She died “peacefully, surrounded by her family,” Gap said in a statement, without disclosing the cause or exact date of death.
“There is simply no equal to Doris Fisher. In Gap-speak, she was a true original,” company president and CEO Richard Dickson said.
“She understood first-hand the value of self-expression, diversity, and inclusion, and she worked tirelessly to ensure that Gap Inc. always did more than sell clothes.”
Fisher and her late husband, Donald Fisher, opened the first Gap store in San Francisco in 1969, helping to reshape American casual fashion with a focus on affordable, ready-to-wear essentials such as jeans, T-shirts, and sweatshirts.
Doris Fisher is credited with naming the brand after the “generation gap,” reflecting the younger customers the couple aimed to attract.
According to The New York Times, the Fishers’ retail philosophy centred on simplifying shopping by keeping stores well organised, sizes clearly structured, and inventory consistently stocked.
The business later expanded into other major brands, including Banana Republic and Old Navy, evolving into a global retail empire.
Today, Gap operates about 3,500 stores worldwide, including company-owned and franchise outlets.
“Never content with what is, Doris continuously imagined what might be and then made it happen,” Dickson added. “A great deal of Gap Inc.’s culture at its best derives from Doris’s influence.”
She is survived by her three sons, Robert, William, and John.
AFP
