Imagine a bustling hub where creativity collides with commerce, and fashion comes to life. At the heart is assistant merchant Alisha Wang — a creative weaving together the threads of style, trends, and expertise in women's knits at Gap. Let's step into the shoes (or rather, the top) of Alisha to learn more about her role as an assistant merchant to make every collection a channel for self-expression.
Tell us about yourself.
Alisha: I’m originally from Indiana and graduated from Indiana University ’21—go Hoosiers! After graduating, I moved to San Francisco to start my career at Gap Inc. in the Rotational Management Program. After completing the program, I landed a role in Gap Specialty Women’s division as an assistant merchant and made the move to NYC.
What do you do?
Alisha: As an assistant merchant, I'm constantly balancing art and science to assort some of Gap’s staples. I am deep in the product strategy and numbers but remain close to the product development process. I get to work with and learn from a lot of cross-functional partners, including design, merchandise planning, and production! Each partner is essential in the product lifecycle; but the merchant balances the art and science of building the perfect assortment through the lens of our customer.
What brings you to work every day?
Alisha: My team! Everyone is a culture giver, and we have fun together while working hard to build on Gap's legacy. As the youngest child in my family, all of my clothes were handed down to me. I remember my aunt and uncle would take me to our local Old Navy as a little treat and let me pick out any item I wanted. I’ve always shopped our family of brands so it feels full circle that I work at Gap Inc. The memories and heritage our brands hold in the industry continue to have a big impact on people and culture. And now for me, it's so fun to see customers shopping the product I work on.
Where do you find inspiration?
Alisha: I find inspiration from the streets of New York! In my free time, I love people-watching, trying new restaurants, going to comedy shows, and spending time at the park. I love the diversity and history of this city. Whether it is the tilework of an old restaurant or somebody sitting across from me on the subway, inspiration is everywhere! At work, I find it from customers to help improve our assortment.
What’s your personal style?
Alisha: It evolves from season to season, but I describe it as an eclectic capsule wardrobe. I love purchasing pieces that are interesting to look at (color, silhouette, texture) and layering with timeless classics. I am personally a big shopper of the Gap Icons (the Big Shirt, 24/7 Sweater, and our denim to name a few)!
Alisha wearing Gap's 100% Organic Cotton Cropped Shirt and High Rise Stride Wide-Leg Ankle Jeans with Washwell
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