Doris Fisher, co-founder of The Gap Inc. and a key figure in shaping modern American casual fashion, died in San Francisco on Saturday, the company announced. She was 94 years old.
Fisher and her late husband, Donald Fisher, founded the retailer in 1969 “after a frustrating shopping experience when Don couldn’t find a pair of jeans that fit.” They opened their first store on Ocean Avenue in San Francisco, initially selling Levi’s jeans and records. The company grew into a global apparel chain with brands including Old Navy and Banana Republic, generating more than $15 billion in annual sales.
Often described as the company’s creative force, Fisher served for decades as Gap’s chief merchandiser, helping shape the"cultural tone of Gap advertising and product development, maintaining a quiet but steadfast presence in the company’s evolution and pushing the company to focus intently on the customer.” She also coined the name “Gap,” a reference to the “generation gap” the brand sought to bridge, according to the company.
Born in San Francisco in 1931 to Bertram Joseph Feigenbaum, a lawyer and former California state legislator, and Dorothy Feigenbaum, Fisher graduated from Stanford University in 1953.
Doris and Donald were married in 1953 and had three sons, Robert, William and John, who remain involved in the family’s business and philanthropic efforts. Donald died in 2009.
In 2005, Forbes Magazine named Fisher one of the 100 Most Powerful Women.
Beyond retail, Fisher was passionate about the arts and education. In 2009, the family pledged more than 1,100 works of modern and contemporary art to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. She also served on the board of the Knowledge is Power Program, a national network of charter schools.
The Fisher family contributed to several Jewish causes in the Bay Area, including supporting the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco.
“Doris Fisher leaves behind a legacy of deep commitment to her family and our city,” San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie stated. “In addition to her incredibly successful business career at Gap, she was a champion of San Francisco’s young people, supporting educational efforts across the city and providing counsel to young people early in their careers.”
