Fresh Updates on the White Shirt

The classic white shirt will have a new look today when the 2008 Gap Design Editions land in stores. For the second consecutive year, Gap has asked up-and-coming designers for their take on the white shirt. This year's designs were created by 3.1 Phillip Lim, Band of Outsiders, Michael Bastian, and threeASFOUR. The collection also includes jewelry for which Philip Crangi is the inaugural designer.

For the shirts, each brand was free to reinterpret the classic in any way. The unifying element of the collection is the fabric: All of the shirts are made from Gap's white poplin.

For Mr. Bastian, the plain fabric presented a world of possibilities: "It's a clean canvas," he said.

Mr. Bastian is the head of an eponymous menswear line that is now in its fourth season. He is a nominee for the Council of Fashion Designers of America's Menswear Designer of the Year award. And last year, he was a finalist for the 2007 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award. The Gap collection includes two of his designs: One is a modern military-inspired shirt, and the other is a Western-style shirt, with some formal pleats, available in men's and women's sizes.

For a young brand like Michael Bastian, the project is a major boost. "This is an opportunity to expose what I do to the whole world," the designer said.

The process encouraged him to reflect on his work. "I sat down after dinner one night and created nine designs. Some that Gap didn't accept are going into my line," he said. "I had never done the military shirt in white poplin. I had never done the pure basic."

The 2008 Design Editions include two styles for men, eight styles for women, and five pieces of jewelry that come in either black or white. The collection — a joint initiative of the retailer and the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund — will be available at Gap flagship and larger stores starting today at prices between $35 and $88.