Gap Inc.
december 1, 2023
Perhaps Old Navy’s most quintessential seasonal category, Jingle Jammies, are taking over for the holidays once again. In stores, in shopping carts, online and in social feeds, our jammies are making serious seasonal fame with their assortment of styles, prints and patterns for everyone in the family. This is nothing new – Jingle Jammies were first introduced to the market in 2009 and have continued to earn their keep as a household tradition.
But beyond their reputation as a cozy holiday necessity, Jingle Jammies are also an in-house favorite. Working on iconic products that are part of core memories and moments that matter is one of the perks of working at a retail portfolio like Gap Inc. Between the fun, the nostalgia and the evolving trends, Jingle Jammies continue to spur creativity and inspiration year over year.
To really get into the spirit, we caught up with some of the folks across the cross-functional team that bring Jingle Jammies to life. Read on for insider takes from Julia Hanna – Head of Womens Merchandising, Maria Manfredi – Head of Design, Concept, Prints, Patterns and Julie Luker – Sr. Director of Brand Engagement on what it is about 2023 Jingle Jammies that gets them most excited!
A Special Holiday Tradition
Jingle Jammies have created a lasting impression for both customers and employees. Part of Old Navy’s holiday collection for almost 15 years, they’re a “beloved annual tradition for Old Navy families, marking the holidays in the same way our flag tees commemorate the Fourth of July,” says Julie Luker. And they’ve continued to evolve and expand to make sure there is something for everyone. “While we bring back many of the classic tartan prints annually, we also add new novelty prints that enrich the product’s heritage. Inclusive by design, we’ve also broadened the representation of holiday icons with our skin-tone Santa collection.”
And from an insider’s perspective, the creative collaboration that goes into Jingle Jammies is an element that makes them even more special. “The internal Design and Merchandising teams spend weeks upon weeks developing and designing the best of the best, with intentionality and with our customers in mind,” says Julia Hanna. “Because all elements, colors, and patterns are designed in-house, Jingle Jammies are truly unique and special to the Old Navy brand.”
Giving our Customers What They Want
Though they are a seasonal favorite, Jingle Jammies aren’t conceptualized with a rinse-and-repeat process. “Trend research and insights from multiple resources and data are leveraged to update our Jingle Jammies offering year after year. This impacts things like proportion shifts, detailing, fabrics, and of course print and color trends,” explains Maria Manfredi.
And it doesn’t stop there! “We are constantly learning what customers are loving from the current business, and we leverage those insights to inform future design and development. This happens as we also look at macro trends to anticipate even further where customer needs will be in the future. We’re already working on 2024 Jingle Jammies! It's such a fun category that strikes a balance and combines both creativity and strategy.”
Jingle Jammies – Celebrating in Style
This year, our creative marketing teams have kicked things up a notch with an elevated spin on the category. “We’ve been seeing an emerging trend of incorporating traditional sleep pieces into broader outfitting, and we wanted to show our customers how they can participate. When you add some glam to our Jingle Jammies, you get Jingle Glammies! We’ve partnered with a range of influencers to show us how they wear their Jingle Jammies - from making holiday memories at home to glamming them up for a night out. Check out Mary Lawless Lee and Kate Steinberg showing us how it’s done! We believe in having fun with fashion, and these creators inspire us with their playful and elevated styling,” says Julie.
Elaborating, Julie adds that “we introduced our first full Holiday Dressy collection this season full of velvet, sequins and shine, and our customers are loving the glitzy, glammy options. Jingle Glammies shows our customers how to mix dressy and casual pieces, lending more versatility to their closet.”
Stealing the spotlight via a recent appearance on The View, Jingle Jammies will continue to be a part of Old Navy’s holiday magic, inspiring both customer love and employee pride. “We sell multi-millions of pajama units every year - which means that Jingle Jammies make their way into the home of millions of families. They’re considered a tradition for many, and the category continues to build momentum. The numbers show that our customers love Jingle Jammies, which means that we’ll continue to do our part to deliver,” says Julia.
“It is never lost on the many teams that create Jingle Jammies that it is an honor to be a part of our customers’ holidays, however they celebrate. Knowing that Jingle Jammies are worn by families for celebratory moments is special – we channel all the fun, cheer and magic we can into this range so that our customers feel the joy in their homes,” adds Maria.
Whether you’re matching with the family or glamming it up for your solo shot – Old Navy’s Jingle Jammies have you covered for your 2023 holiday memory bank!