GANT Travels Through the Fashion Ages in New Global Archive Exhibition
With local collections curated by streetwear tastemakers.
In celebration of its ongoing contribution to global fashion, American sportswear brand GANT gears up for a new touring archive exhibition that retraces its 70-year brand history.
From sportswear classics to relaxed tailoring, GANT’s foundations in perfectly preppy style is well-known to many across the world. But, for the new exhibition the brand presents a wider and more detailed look at its array of styles, compiling pieces from a newly-assembled archive library. With some garments dating back to GANT’s beginnings in 1949, the carefully sourced exhibition reveals the brand’s evolving legacy through original creations and various reinterpretations of iconic styles.
Speaking on the archival journey, GANT’s creative director Christopher Bastin shares why continuous garment research is important. “When I joined GANT in 2005, I realized there was absolutely nothing in our records from the first 30 years, so I started to piece together an entirely new brand archive,” he says. “Today, the GANT Archive contains thousands of pieces that represent our history. It’s quite the experience to be able to physically touch and feel a brand’s legacy and I’m excited that we finally get to open this up to the public.”
Commencing in New York, the first showcase will be curated in partnership with Throwing Fits duo Lawrence Schlossman and James Harris. Their selection of garments stays intrinsic to the US landscape of fashion with club blazers, varsity jackets and other pieces that they say “have undeniably shaped GANT.” In London, Samuel Trotman of Samutaro will piece together a UK event while skater and director Manuel Schenck curates the Parisian display in spring.
A sneak peek into the largest-ever collection of archival GANT pieces can be seen in a new 80s televised shopping-style video featuring Throwing Fits. Themed around different style trends, the episode explores the fashion eras through the growing archive. Check out the video in the gallery above or via YouTube.
Visit GANT’s archive exhibition in New York from Feb 23 – 26.
GANT Archive Exhibition
240 Mulberry St.
New York, NY 10012
