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1 Apr

A Piece of Sportswear History: Gant Debuts London Exhibition

LONDON — Gant is taking its 74-year history across the globe with an exhibition that began in Latest York City, is now in London until Sunday and can finish in Paris later this spring.

The showcase traces the brand’s sportswear roots — featuring caps, slogan T-shirts, rugby shirts and documents — at Dijonss, an area created by creative collective Bone Soda in East London that’s often used for installations and activities.

“The U.K. and London more specifically is a key marketplace for Gant, each from a business and brand perspective, and we actually felt it has the appropriate audience for this kind of activation. London has all the time been Europe’s number-one playground for all things vintage,” Christopher Bastin, creative director of Gant, told WWD.

“I even have actually bought a variety of pieces for our archive from London-based vintage aficionados. Unnecessary to say, it’s a significant fashion capital with massive coverage and impact,” he added.

The Gant Archive Exhibition

The space is curated by Samuel Trotman, a denim trend consultant who’s known for his Instagram account @samutaro.

“It’s all the time exciting to partner with a brand who’s the other of me because it’s inside this space where the most effective ideas arise. Prep is something that has repeatedly evolved throughout popular culture so it was essential for me to uncover the stories that talk most to today’s generation of young fashion enthusiasts,” Trotman said in an announcement.

Bastin has been constructing the archive since 2006 and saw this as a chance to have fun the brand ahead of its seventy fifth anniversary in 2024.

“I loved the concept of getting an event where people can physically touch the pieces and even try things on in the event that they wish. The sweetness is it’s mostly shirts, nothing too fragile, so it lends itself perfectly to being displayed in this sort of way,” explain Bastin, who had the prospect to mess around with the brand’s heritage and legacy in a distinct medium than designing a recent collection.

Gant said its U.K. arm of the business is “very healthy” with a large audience of loyal customers.

The Gant Archive Exhibition

The American brand opened a store within the newly opened Battersea Power Station last fall.

“We’ve been on a rejuvenation journey over the past two to 3 years, which was a strategic decision to assist us refocus and find our purpose again. A recent store concept trial is being rolled out,” said Bastin, revealing that 2021 and 2022 were the brand’s best years up to now with support from its owners, the MF Brands Group, which incorporates Lacoste, The Kooples, Tecnifibre and Aigle.

Bastin hinted that the Paris exhibition will likely be created by Manuel Schenk and can follow an identical foundation to the Latest York and London displays, but with an area flavor.

The Gant Archive runs from March. 30 to April. 2 at Dijonns in London.

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