As always, the White Space provided us a perfect blank canvas with which to play.

The Merci boutique may be unfamiliar to those who haven’t ventured to France within the past six months and au courante on all international fashion and design trends. That makes it even more exciting for us to be able to help introduce Merci in the United States. It is an eclectic mix of haute discoveries, vintage pieces and a melange of items in between. It is a vibrant, unpretentious shop with an artistic vibe – a great match with Gap’s aesthetic.

We captured that spirit, with all its whimsy and great attention to detail, to produce a memorable experience for visitors to the Gap Concept Store.

Consumers who enter the Merci Gap shop would never guess that only days before Anna Wintour and the denizens of New York’s Fashion Week celebrated its opening, a denim-themed story highlighting Gap’s Born to Fit campaign lived in the space. Or that, just weeks earlier, we had built a yoga studio environment and brought in yoga gurus to teach classes. As with those that came before, the Merci experience was fleeting. We are already at work to transform the Gap Concept Store into a new incarnation. Stop by 54th and 5th when next you’re in the city, to see the latest developments.

Anyone walking by the Gap Concept Store is immediately struck by the juxtaposition of what is happening inside to what is happening out on the street. The space provides an oasis from the hustle and bustle of everyday New York life.

During the first few weeks of July, for example, the space became Gap’s Pure Body Studio. The new Gap Pure Body line of layering essentials adorned the walls, in soothing colors. New Yorkers were invited in – to escape from the chaos of daily life, to acquaint themselves with the super-soft new clothes, to quench their thirst with refreshing flavored water, and to simply pause for a moment of fun exploration. They were also encouraged to sign up for free yoga classes – to be held in the space and to be lead by top yoga gurus Ashley Turner and Sadie Nardini, respectively.

On two consecutive Saturdays, lucky yoga class participants were able to relax in a bubble of calm, and improve their Downward Dogs under the gentle guidance of experts, while the rest of New York frantically raced by outside. Additionally, they gained free Harmony yoga mats and blissed-out smiles.

By all accounts, it was an amazing experience for beginners and pros alike.

Prior to hosting the Gap Pure Body Studio, the Gap Concept Store housed inspired designs by CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Finalists Alexander Wang, Albertus Swanepoel and Vena Cava’s Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai. This year’s finalists were challenged to rework Gap’s iconic khaki fabric. Their achievements, along with captured quotes conveying their thoughts about fashion, resulted in a crisp, monochromatic look and adventurous vibe.

If you walk by the Concept Store today, however, you may think it is an art gallery. Actually, you would be correct. A collection of artwork, created to inspire Gap’s new limited edition series of Artist Inspired T-Shirts in support of (PRODUCT) RED, is now on display. Consumers have the opportunity to view over 20 original pieces, from 10 established and up-and-coming artists, in the laidback environment of the Concept Store. Within the same heartbeat, consumers can see the artists’ visions captured on soft Gap T-shirts, which they can touch, feel and own. Fifty percent of profits will be donated to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS in Africa.

Each installation is fun, hip and interactive. It catches consumers by surprise and stirs their imagination.

But it is never around for long! So, have a look while you can.

We’re just days away from reimagining the Gap Concept Store once again. I won’t tell you yet what the next incarnation will be, but you can check out previous ones here and here. Just know that, for mere hours, the Concept Store will revert to being a blank, White Space. Then, it will morph into yet another awesome, new experience for New Yorkers, and anyone else who happens to visit.

January is all about color in the white space! To bring shoppers some warmth and optimism during the cold dreary days of winter, Gap teamed up with PANTONE to feature an array of t-shirts in 25 trendy colors.  The store also features a limited edition t-shirt in Mimosa, PANTONE’s color of the year for 2009.  It’s only available in the White Space and until supplies last.  A Squared Group was on the ground last week converting the blank space into a virtual painter’s palette of bright, bold colors.  The results are warm, modern and clean, just the thing to make you forget that it’s 20 degrees outside!