NEW YORK – Doris Fisher, the trailblazing entrepreneur who, alongside her late husband Don, launched the renowned apparel company The Gap Inc. in 1969, has passed away at the age of 94.
Fisher’s passing on Saturday was confirmed by a Gap representative on Monday, with her family by her side. The San Francisco-based retailer did not disclose the cause of her death.
The inception of The Gap originated from Don Fisher’s challenging search for a well-fitting pair of jeans. Inspired by this experience, the Fishers opened a modest store on Ocean Avenue in San Francisco, initially selling men’s Levi’s jeans and record tapes. This small venture laid the groundwork for a vast retail empire that transformed American fashion, promoting a style defined by simplicity and casual elegance, featuring iconic items like khakis, jeans, T-shirts, and sweaters.
Over time, the brand expanded its reach with the introduction of Banana Republic and Old Navy, contributing to a global sales figure exceeding $15 billion.
While Doris Fisher served as the fashion visionary behind the company for nearly 40 years, Don focused on the business aspects. The name “The Gap” was her brainchild, symbolizing the “generation gap” between parents and their children. Don Fisher passed away in 2009.
Gap’s CEO and President Richard Dickson remarked on Monday, “There is truly no one like Doris Fisher. In Gap terms, she was a genuine original. Doris was an equal partner in establishing Gap Inc. and a pioneering entrepreneur during an era when female business leaders were rare. She deeply valued self-expression, diversity, and inclusion.”
Dickson, who has been spearheading a turnaround after several years of a sales malaise, also said that Doris Fisher “worked tirelessly to ensure that Gap Inc. always did more than sell clothes.” Gap hired Dickson in July 2023.
Gap noted that Doris Fisher’s influence extended beyond merchandising and store design. She helped shape the cultural tone of Gap advertising and product development, while maintaining a “steadfast” presence in the company’s expansion and pushing the company to focus on the customer’s needs. Gap went public in 1976.
The Fishers also were involved in philanthropic endeavors. The couple amassed one of the largest private collections of modern and contemporary art in the country, Gap said. In 2009, the family pledged more than 1,100 works to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, one of the largest gifts of its kind.
Doris Fisher was also an advocate of educational opportunities for disadvantaged students. She served on the board of Knowledge Is Power Program, known as KIPP, a network of high-performing charter schools aimed at creating opportunity for underserved students.
Born in San Francisco in 1931, Doris Feigenbaum grew up in a family “steeped in values of enterprise, culture, and community service,” according to Gap. She graduated from Stanford University in 1953, where she studied economics.
She is survived by her three sons — Robert, William, and John — all of whom have carried forward the family’s business and philanthropic commitments with San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, KIPP, Stanford University, The Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco, the San Francisco Symphony, and The Gap Foundation.
She is also survived by 10 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren, the company said.
