The entrepreneur helped build Gap Inc. into a defining force in American retail and casual fashion
Doris Fisher, cofounder of Gap Inc., died on Saturday in San Francisco at the age of 94, the company confirmed. She died peacefully surrounded by family.
Fisher co-founded Gap in 1969 with her husband, Donald Fisher, launching the business with a single store on Ocean Avenue in San Francisco. The concept emerged from a practical need for better-fitting jeans, evolving into a retail model focused on accessibility, variety, and simplicity. The first store, which sold Levi’s alongside music records, led to rapid expansion, including a second location in San Jose the following year.
Over the following decades, Fisher played a central role in shaping Gap Inc.’s development, contributing to merchandising, store design, and brand positioning. The company expanded into a multi-brand group with the acquisition of Banana Republic in 1983 and the launch of Old Navy, later adding Athleta to its portfolio. Under the Fishers’ leadership, Gap helped define a new approach to casual dressing in the United States.
“Doris was a full partner in Gap Inc.’s founding and a path-breaking entrepreneur at a time when that was highly unusual for women,” said Richard Dickson, president and chief executive officer of Gap Inc. “She understood first-hand the value of self-expression, diversity and inclusion.”
Born Doris Feigenbaum in San Francisco in 1931, she graduated from Stanford University with a degree in economics. She remained closely involved with Gap Inc. for decades, serving on the board until 2009 before becoming an honorary lifetime director.
Beyond retail, Fisher and her family built one of the largest private collections of modern and contemporary art in the United States, later donating more than 1,100 works to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. She also supported education initiatives, including serving on the board of KIPP, a network of charter schools focused on expanding access for underserved communities.
Fisher is survived by her three sons, 10 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. Gap Inc. said it will share further details on plans to honor her legacy.