Clothing The Gaps: Aboriginal Location, Ownership & Gap Facts

Anyone who’s shopped at Gap and then stumbled across “Clothing The Gaps” on social media has probably felt the confusion. One is a global fast-fashion giant; the other is a Melbourne-based Aboriginal social enterprise with a mission tied to Indigenous health outcomes. Here’s what separates them — and why the distinction matters for consumers, activists, and anyone curious about fashion with a cause.

Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia · Ownership: Aboriginal co-founded social enterprise · Founders: Laura Thompson (Gunditjmara), Sarah Sheridan · Business Type: B Corp, Aboriginal social enterprise · Focus: Fashion supporting First Nations justice

Six key facts distinguish these two entities — one an Indigenous-led social enterprise, the other a US retail giant.

A quick reference table highlights the core identifiers that separate these two fashion brands operating in entirely different contexts.

Where is Clothing The Gaps located?

Clothing The Gaps operates from Brunswick, a suburb in Melbourne’s inner north that has long been known for its vibrant arts and fashion scene. The brand opened its first retail outlet at 744 Sydney Road in December 2020, taking up residence in the heart of Brunswick’s fashion district. Since then, the store relocated to the ground floor of the Hardwick Building on Sydney Road — a location the brand describes as its home on Wurundjeri Country (Brunswick Voice). The Brunswick area has remained Clothing The Gaps’ largest market for both in-store and online sales.

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

The choice of Melbourne as a base reflects the city’s strong Indigenous community networks and its reputation as a hub for progressive retail and social enterprise. Clothing The Gaps operates as a certified social enterprise, meaning profits are reinvested into community goals rather than distributed to shareholders.

Store and attraction details

Visitors to the store can browse jumpers, sweaters, and other apparel that carry messages tied to First Nations justice. The retail space functions as both a shop and a community hub, hosting events and welcoming customers who want their purchases to mean something beyond fashion.

Is Clothing The Gaps Aboriginal owned?

Yes. Clothing The Gaps was co-founded by Laura Thompson, a Gunditjmara woman, and Sarah Sheridan. The two met a decade ago when Thompson served as Sheridan’s manager at the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service. In 2018, they branched out to launch Spark Health, a not-for-profit Aboriginal health promotion company. When the Covid pandemic brought Spark Health activities to a standstill, they pivoted to merchandise — rebranding as Clothing The Gap and eventually Clothing The Gaps. The name itself is a play on “Closing the Gap,” the Australian government initiative aimed at improving Indigenous health outcomes (Macpherson Kelley).

Founders and ownership

Thompson and Sheridan built their social enterprise from the ground up. Spark Health Australia was officially established in October 2017, with its first initiative launched on New Year’s Day 2018. The business focused on Aboriginal community engagement in health and wellbeing across Victoria. Their first OG Collection dropped in December 2020, featuring t-shirts in the colours of the Aboriginal Flag — red, black, and yellow — alongside a simple white tee with “Clothing The Gap” embroidered on the chest. The enterprise currently employs approximately 15 Aboriginal people, making it a meaningful contributor to Indigenous employment in Melbourne.

Social enterprise status

Clothing The Gaps operates as a certified social enterprise and achieved B Corp certification, confirming it meets rigorous standards for social and environmental performance. The business has participated in Melbourne Fashion Week, presenting garments like the “Still Yes” dress and “Always Was, Always Will Be” dress alongside 29 other iconic Australian brands at the Closing Showcase in 2024 (Style Up NITV). Collaborating with designers like Natisha Tabua and Lucas Schober of Musu Arts, the brand continues to elevate First Nations fashion on national stages.

What country is Gap clothing from?

Gap Inc. is an American company, founded in San Francisco, California, in 1969. The brand grew into a global retail force, becoming one of the most recognizable names in casual apparel. Gap Inc. maintains headquarters in San Francisco and operates stores across North America, Asia, and Europe. However, Gap Inc. sold its UK and Ireland operations to Next plc and the online business to W irtual brands in 2022, effectively ending its physical retail presence in the British market.

Gap Inc. origins

The American retailer began as a single store selling Levi’s jeans and records, eventually expanding into its own label line. Over decades, Gap Inc. built a portfolio that included Baby Gap, Gap Kids, Banana Republic, and Old Navy. The company leveraged the word “Gap” across multiple sub-brands — Baby Gap, Gap Kids, and others — which later became relevant when the Australian Aboriginal enterprise sought trademark protection for its own name.

Distinction from Clothing The Gaps

Despite sharing a two-letter word, Gap Inc. and Clothing The Gaps operate in entirely different worlds. Gap Inc. is a publicly traded corporation answerable to shareholders; Clothing The Gaps is a social enterprise answerable to community. Gap Inc. targets broad demographics across global markets; Clothing The Gaps serves customers seeking fashion with political and cultural intent. The only real overlap is alphabetical — and that overlap triggered a trademark dispute that reshaped the Australian brand’s identity.

Does Gap still have stores?

Gap Inc. continues to operate stores in North America, Asia, and other regions, though its footprint has contracted significantly since its peak. The company closed numerous underperforming locations during the early 2020s as part of a broader turnaround strategy. In the UK specifically, Gap exited physical retail entirely in 2022 when it sold its store network to Next plc. Online operations in the UK transferred to W irtual Brands. Gap’s store locator for the UK now directs customers to Next’s website rather than a Gap-branded experience.

Current store status

In Australia, Gap Inc. maintains a reduced presence compared to its height in the 2000s and early 2010s. Consumers seeking Gap products in Australia may find availability limited to outlet centers or online-only purchasing. The brand has faced declining relevance in markets where fast-fashion competitors like Zara, H&M, and Uniqlo have captured market share from mid-tier casual apparel retailers.

UK and global presence

The UK exit marked a significant strategic shift for Gap Inc., which previously operated hundreds of stores across Europe. In Australia, Gap’s presence remains but has contracted from historical peaks. The company’s remaining global footprint centers on North America, where it continues to operate hundreds of Gap and Gap Kids stores alongside its other brands. Gap does not own Zara or Inditex — the Spanish conglomerate operates Zara and dozens of other brands entirely independently of the American retailer.

What age group does the Gap target?

Gap Inc. historically targeted middle-income consumers across a wide age range, from infants through adults in the 35–45 demographic. The brand built its reputation on accessible, casual basics — jeans, t-shirts, fleece pullovers — that appealed to families shopping for multiple members at once. Gap Kids and Baby Gap extended this demographic reach downward, capturing parents shopping for children’s everyday wear.

Marketing strategy

Gap’s marketing historically relied on broad-reach television and print advertising, positioning itself as wholesome, American, and family-oriented. The brand’s famous 1990s ads, including the “1969” campaign featuring Levi’s-style visuals, established a nostalgic, comfortable aesthetic that persisted for decades. More recently, Gap has experimented with collaborations — most notably with Kanye West’s Yeezy line — in attempts to rebrand as culturally relevant to younger demographics. The brand has also invested in TikTok marketing as part of a broader digital transformation.

Demographics focus

Gap’s core demographic has traditionally skewed toward middle America — suburban families, college students, and older consumers seeking reliable basics. The brand’s positioning as an “everyday” option placed it between premium denim labels and budget fast-fashion retailers. That middle-ground positioning has become increasingly difficult to defend as competitors across price tiers have improved quality and style. Gap’s attempt to recapture younger audiences through high-profile collaborations signals awareness of the demographic challenge but hasn’t yet produced sustained results.

How the trademark dispute reshaped Clothing The Gaps

The relationship between these two brands became legally complicated in May 2021, when Spark Health Australia — the parent entity of Clothing The Gap — filed two trademark applications with IP Australia. Gap Inc. opposed these applications, arguing that the word “Gap” in the name created a likelihood of confusion with its own registered marks. In December 2020, an IP Australia Hearing Officer agreed, finding the Clothing The Gap applications “deceptively similar” to the Gap Marks (Macpherson Kelley). The Hearing Officer noted that Gap Inc. owned additional marks like “BABY GAP” and “GAP KIDS,” which strengthened the case for confusion.

During negotiations, Gap responded positively to Clothing The Gap’s proposal to rebrand as “Clothing the Gaps” — a single-letter addition that distinguished the Australian brand while preserving its core identity. By the end of July 2021, the streetwear label completed its transition, operating under the new name with Gap’s blessing. The court had previously allowed Thompson’s business to be called Clothing the Gap until July 30, 2021, giving them a defined window to complete the rebrand (Asia IP Law).

The rebrand illustrates how smaller social enterprises must navigate intellectual property constraints while maintaining their mission-driven identities — the addition of a single letter preserved the wordplay on “Closing the Gap” while removing the trademark conflict.

The name “Clothing the Gap” is a play on words, referencing the “Closing the Gap” Indigenous health initiative.

— Macpherson Kelley IP law analysis

Clothing the Gaps is an Indigenous-owned and run apparel store founded by Aboriginal health professionals.

— Timeout Melbourne retail guide

The distinction between Clothing The Gaps and Gap Inc. ultimately comes down to what customers want their purchases to represent. One brand funds shareholder returns; the other funds Indigenous employment and community health initiatives. For shoppers who care about the social impact of their wardrobe, the choice offers a rare alignment between consumer behavior and political conviction.

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While Clothing The Gaps addresses Aboriginal empowerment through apparel, You Know Clothing history traces a similar path from Kiwi friends’ joke to national streetwear success.

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