GAP’s new denim campaign takes inclusive route with global girl group Katseye

Just days after American Eagle’s “great jeans/genes” campaign stirred controversy for its tone, GAP has dropped a denim-led campaign that’s winning praise for the opposite reason, its inclusivity.

 The new Fall 2025 campaign, titled Better in Denim, the campaign features Katseye, a newly formed girl group with members from Asia, Africa, and the Philippines, spotlighting a mix of skin tones, body types, and cultural identities. In the ad, the band dances to the viral track Milkshake, aligning GAP’s denim with youthful energy and global cool.

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“Gap didn’t ask us to fit in, they invited us to show up as we are,” said KATSEYE.
“The denim moved with us, and every look felt like our own. We got to perform as ourselves, bringing our style and culture to every frame. That’s what makes this moment so powerful.”

Directed by Bethany Vargas with choreography by Robbie Blue, the spot sees Katseye light up the set to Kelis’ Milkshake, merging denim with choreography, music and cultural energy. The collection brings back GAP’s Long & Lean jeans in a new fit, along with low-rise, skinny, baggy, and flared styles.

“Gap continues to build on its legacy of bridging generations by spotlighting global talent and celebrating self-expression through music, dance, and denim” said Mark Breitbard, President and CEO, Gap brand. “Partnering with KATSEYE was a natural fit, we share a bold, expressive and inclusive point of view. ‘Better in Denim’ is the best expression of who the brand is today — fresh, relevant, original, and undeniably Gap.”

While American Eagle faced criticism for its “great jeans/genes” wordplay with Sydney Sweeney that was seen as tone-deaf and sexualised, GAP’s creative is being read as a more thoughtful nod to diversity, especially in a cultural moment where fashion brands are under scrutiny for how they project identity and inclusivity.

With Gen Z increasingly vocal about representation in advertising, the contrast between the two campaigns underscores how brand messaging can make or break online sentiment.