Banana Republic is celebrating its fortieth anniversary this fall with a campaign that is more nostalgic than forward-looking. Now, I am a champion of opening archive vaults to keep the bottom from falling out, but Banana Republic has always been a brand that takes few creative risks, and this collection of “signature’ pieces feels very familiar (Gap Inc. is seemingly all about basics across its brands). I had hoped that Banana Republic would seize the occasion of a milestone anniversary to make a statement about where it wants to go, not just where it had been… but maybe this is an indication that it is planting its feet and happy with its place in the retail landscape.
Don’t get me wrong. As a self-described “classic dresser,” I have a soft spot for Banana Republic and its reliably wearable, affordable pieces. I just wish things like the tweed coat from this post were less of an outlier in its collections, which are dominated by plain sweaters and monotone one- or two-button blazers (both of which I love but already have far too many from BR).
And for those of you who haven’t shopped BR in a while, here are the highlights (imo):
Lastly, I rescheduled this week’s sale post for tomorrow, but still want to highlight Ann Taylor’s mystery sale, which will end Monday night. Use code MYSTERY50 for 50% off your entire purchase. My picks:
Happy shopping!
