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Banana Republic (Republique Bananique in French) is a chain of mainly United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 based clothing stores founded by Mel
Mel Ziegler

Mel Ziegler and his wife, Patricia Ziegler are the founders of Banana Republic. They were also the co-founders with William Rosenzweig of Republic of Tea....
 and Patricia Ziegler
Patricia Ziegler

Patricia Ziegler and her husband Mel Ziegler are founders of Banana Republic and the Republic of Tea....
 in 1978 as a travel-themed clothing company. It was bought by Gap
Gap (clothing retailer)

The Gap, Inc. is an United States clothing and accessories retailer based in San Francisco, California, and founded in 1969 by Donald Fisher and Doris F....
 in 1983. The company has over 500 stores.

original Banana Republic was founded by Mel
Mel Ziegler

Mel Ziegler and his wife, Patricia Ziegler are the founders of Banana Republic. They were also the co-founders with William Rosenzweig of Republic of Tea....
 and Patricia Ziegler
Patricia Ziegler

Patricia Ziegler and her husband Mel Ziegler are founders of Banana Republic and the Republic of Tea....
 in 1978. It was a two-store safari
Safari

A safari is an overland journey. It usually refers to a trip by tourists to Africa, traditionally for a Big Five game Hunting#Safari; today the term often refers to a trip taken not for the purposes of hunting, but to observe and photograph big game and other wildlife....
 and travel-themed clothing company.






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Encyclopedia


Banana Republic (Republique Bananique in French) is a chain of mainly United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 based clothing stores founded by Mel
Mel Ziegler

Mel Ziegler and his wife, Patricia Ziegler are the founders of Banana Republic. They were also the co-founders with William Rosenzweig of Republic of Tea....
 and Patricia Ziegler
Patricia Ziegler

Patricia Ziegler and her husband Mel Ziegler are founders of Banana Republic and the Republic of Tea....
 in 1978 as a travel-themed clothing company. It was bought by Gap
Gap (clothing retailer)

The Gap, Inc. is an United States clothing and accessories retailer based in San Francisco, California, and founded in 1969 by Donald Fisher and Doris F....
 in 1983. The company has over 500 stores.

History

The original Banana Republic was founded by Mel
Mel Ziegler

Mel Ziegler and his wife, Patricia Ziegler are the founders of Banana Republic. They were also the co-founders with William Rosenzweig of Republic of Tea....
 and Patricia Ziegler
Patricia Ziegler

Patricia Ziegler and her husband Mel Ziegler are founders of Banana Republic and the Republic of Tea....
 in 1978. It was a two-store safari
Safari

A safari is an overland journey. It usually refers to a trip by tourists to Africa, traditionally for a Big Five game Hunting#Safari; today the term often refers to a trip taken not for the purposes of hunting, but to observe and photograph big game and other wildlife....
 and travel-themed clothing company. The majority of sales came from its eccentric catalog, which presented high-end and unique items with chatty, usually fictional, backstories from exotic locations, as well as more pedestrian high-volume products deliberately spiced up with a similar treatment. The company competed directly with the J. Peterman Company
The J. Peterman Company

The J. Peterman Company is a retail company that sells clothing and fashion accessories primarily through catalogs and the Internet. The company recently launched Peterman's Eye, their first advertising-supported content site....
. As Banana Republic expanded its retail operation, it became known for the themed decoration in its stores, often featuring authentic elements, such as real Jeep
Jeep

Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler. It is the oldest off-road vehicle brand, with Land Rover coming in second. The original vehicle which first appeared as the prototype Bantam GP became the primary light 4-wheel-drive vehicle of the US Army and allies during the World War II and postwar period....
s and foliage, as well as atmospheric elements, such as fog and steam.

Gap Inc. acquired Banana Republic in 1983, eventually rebranding it as a mainstream luxury clothing retailer. The eccentric tourist-oriented items were phased out and were replaced with more luxurious items for which the brand is currently known. To set itself apart from Gap as a more upmarket brand, Banana Republic occasionally buys and refurbishes historic buildings for its retail locations.

Milestones

  • 1978 The first Banana Republic store opens in Mill Valley, California
  • 1979 Banana Republic begins to distribute a Safari and Imported Surplus Catalog
  • 1983 Gap acquires Banana Republic- a two-store mail-order safari and travel clothing company
  • 1984 The Banana Republic Summer 1984 catalog reaches over 1 million people. Catalog orders are 50% of sales
  • 1988 Banana Republic opens its 100th store
  • 1988 Banana Republic discontinues its Travel & Safari catalogs
  • 1990 Gap Inc.'s 1,000th store opens - a Banana Republic in Buffalo, New York
  • 1993 Banana Republic begins its transition to a lifestyle brand by broadening its offerings beyond clothing to include jewelry and small leather products
  • 1995 The first Banana Republic store opens outside the United States in Edmonton, Canada
  • 1995 Banana Republic continues its lifestyle branding by introducing personal care and shoe lines
  • 1996 Banana Republic introduces gift and home accessories collections
  • 1998 Banana Republic debuts its first national television commercials, featuring Banana Republic suede
  • 1998 Banana Republic introduces the company's first private label credit cards (they are the first brand to pilot this program)
  • 1998 Banana Republic annual sales exceed $1 Billion
  • 1999 Banana Republic launches its online store at BananaRepublic.com
  • 2000 Banana Republic is featured on NBC's popular sitcom Will & Grace. In several episodes, Jack (Sean Hayes) is a BR sales associate
  • 2001 Banana Republic launches petite sizes in an online-exclusive debut
  • 2004 Banana Republic collaborates with Bravo to combine product placement with on-air content resulting in the hit reality series, "Project Runway"
  • 2005 The first Banana Republic in Japan opens in Printemps Ginza, Tokyo
  • 2007 The first Banana Republic franchise store opens in Manama, Bahrain, followed by stores in Jakarta, Indonesia; Kuwait City, Kuwait; Abu Dhabi, UAE; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Singapore; Seoul, Korea and Muscat, Oman
  • 2008 The first Banana Republic store in England opens on Regent Street in London


Profile

The company operates more than 500 Banana Republic stores in the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 (including Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is a Autonomy Territories of the United States of the United States located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands....
), and 26 stores in Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
. Gap Inc. is expanding its international presence with franchise agreements for Gap and Banana Republic in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

Banana Republic opened its first store outside North America in 2005 in Ginza
Ginza

Ginza is a district of Chuo, Tokyo, Tokyo, located south of Yaesu and Kyobashi, west of Tsukiji, east of Yurakucho and Uchisaiwaicho, and north of Shinbashi....
, Tokyo
Tokyo

, officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshu. The twenty-three special wards of Tokyo, each governed as a city, cover the area that was once the Tokyo City in the eastern part of the prefecture, and total over 8 million people....
's most prestigious shopping district. Banana Republic's presence in South Korea
South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea , ), often referred to as Korea and the "names of Korea#Revival of the names", is a Semi-presidential system republic in East Asia, located in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula....
 debuted on August 24, 2007 with a flagship store in the Apkujeong district of Seoul
Seoul

Seoul is the Capital and largest city of South Korea. With a population of over 10 million, It is one of the world's List of cities proper by population.The Seoul National Capital Area - which includes the major port city of Incheon and satellite towns in Gyeonggi-do, has 24.5 million inhabitants and is the world's second largest List of me...
. In 2007, the first Banana Republic stores opened at The Avenues shopping mall
The Avenues (Kuwait)

The Avenues mall is the largest mall and shopping center in Kuwait. It is located in the Al-Rai industrial area, along the Fifth Ring Road. The first phase of the mall, inaugurated by Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, officially opened in April 2007....
 in Kuwait
Kuwait

The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab emirate on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed by Saudi Arabia to the south and Iraq to the north and west....
, Senayan City
Senayan City

Senayan City is a mixed-use development located in Senayan area, Central Jakarta, Indonesia. The complex comprises a seven-floor high end shopping mall, an office tower , an apartment tower, and a five-star hotel operated by Sofitel....
 in Jakarta
Jakarta

Jakarta is the Capital and largest city of Indonesia. It also has a List of urban areas by population than any other city in Southeast Asia. It was formerly known as Sunda Kelapa , Jayakarta , Batavia, Dutch East Indies , and Djakarta ....
, Indonesia
Indonesia

The Republic of Indonesia , is a transcontinental country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Comprising Islands of Indonesia, it is the world's largest Archipelago state....
, and Pavilion Kuala Lumpur
Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

The Pavilion Kuala Lumpur is a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was successfully opened on 20 September 2007.It consists of four major components; a retail mall, an office tower, two towers of residences and a proposed hotel....
 in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur , is the largest city of Malaysia. The city proper, making up an area of , has an estimated population of 1.6 million in 2006. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million....
, Malaysia
Malaysia

Malaysia is a federation that consists of States of Malaysia in Southeast Asia with a total landmass of . The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government....
.

Banana Republic opened its first store in Turkey
Turkey

Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in southwest Asia and Thrace in the Balkans region of Southern Europe....
 on March 15, 2008 in the Kanyon Shopping Mall, Istanbul
Kanyon Shopping Mall, Istanbul

Kanyon is a multi-purpose complex in the Levent financial district of Istanbul, Turkey, which consists of a shopping mall, a 30-floor office tower and a 22-floor residential block....
. By May 2008, Istinye
Istinye

Istinye is a neighbourhood in Istanbul, on the European side. It is located between Emirgan and Yenik?y on the northwestern shore of the Bosporus, within the borough of Sariyer....
 Park Shopping Mall and Nisantasi
Nisantasi

Nisantasi is a quarter of Istanbul, Turkey, comprising neighbourhoods like Tesvikiye, Osmanbey, Ma?ka and Pangalti. It includes the stores of world famous brands and has many popular caf?s, pubs, restaurants and night clubs....
 stores were also opened in Istanbul
Istanbul

Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, List of metropolitan areas in Europe by population, and List of cities proper by population in the world with a population of 12.6 million....
. More stores are planned to be opened in Ankara
Ankara

Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and the country's List of largest cities and second largest cities by country List of cities in Turkey after Istanbul....
 and Izmir
Izmir

Izmir, also once called Smyrna, is Turkey's third most populous city and the country's largest port after Istanbul. It is located along the outlying waters of the Gulf of Izmir, by the Aegean Sea....
 by the end of 2008 to bring the total number of stores in Turkey to 6.

On March 20, 2008, Banana Republic opened its flagship store on Regent Street
Regent Street

Regent Street is one of the major high street in London's West End of London, well known to tourists and Londoners alike, and famous for its Christmas illuminations....
 in London
London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
. On May 9, 2008, Banana Republic opened its flagship store on Greenbelt 5
Greenbelt (Ayala Center)

Greenbelt is a large shopping mall located at Ayala Center, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines which is just near Glorietta and SM Makati. It opened in the 1980s and it is one of Ayala Corporation's flagship projects....
 in Makati City
Makati City

The City of Makati, or simply Makati, is one of the Cities of the Philippines and Philippine municipality that make up Metro Manila, the Metropolitan area of the Manila....
, Philippines
Philippines

The Philippines, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital city. It comprises 7,107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean....
.

In March 2008 Banana Republic was criticized by War on Want
War on Want

War on Want is an anti-poverty Charitable organization based in London, England, which highlights the needs of poverty-stricken areas around the world, lobbying governments and international agencies to tackle problems, as well as raising public awareness of the concerns of developing nations while supporting organisations throughout the thir...
 for allegedly employing workers at sub contractors in India at rates as low as 30 cents (US) an hour for a 70 hour week. The company immediately launched an investigation to determine the accuracy of such claims and reiterated its strong condemnation of such working conditions.

External links

  • · Official Website.
  • · Japanese Official Website.
  • . Official European Website.