Banana Republic unveils new brand identity with latest campaign

By

Robin Driver

Published
Sep 8, 2021

Gap-owned fashion brand Banana Republic is introducing a new look with its fall campaign, revealing a refreshed identity which looks back over the label’s 43-year history and reimagines it with a modern twist.

 
A major focus of Banana Republic’s new brand identity involves elevating the customer experience, a goal that the company hopes to achieve by telling “immersive product stories” that cross the in-store and digital divide, as well as by elevating products through improved design and fabric quality.
 
Both the brand’s stores and digital platforms are set to be upgraded too. Stores will have a holistic makeover, featuring a “harmonious” store design and new hospitality and styling services, while Banana Republic’s digital presence will prioritize engagement, offering immersive imagery, music and videos.

“We started with a very clear vision of what this iconic American company can be and what we need to do in terms of our product quality and design, packaging and service, our digital experiences, and experiences in our stores to bring this vision to life in a way that excites culture and moves our business,” explained Banana Republic president and CEO Sandra Stangl in a release.
 
The new brand identity makes its debut with the first stage of Banana Republic’s Fall 2021 campaign, “The New Look,” which kicks off on September 7. The featured collection focuses on leather and suede, seen in a new version of the brand’s iconic photojournalist vest, cargo pants, jumpsuits, shorts and blazers. Other emblematic Banana Republic materials, such as shearling, Merino wool, silk and cashmere, are also used in the collection, which rounds out its offering with workwear, outdoorsy casual pieces and tailoring.
 
“With The New Look, our goal is to create silhouettes and branding that is always nostalgic and simultaneously contemporary,” said chief brand officer Ana Andjelic, going on to cite inspirations including San Francisco and the late 1990s.
 
“Keywords are utilitarian chic and modern casualwear. Safari meets tuxedo, formalwear meets casualwear, menswear meets womenswear, vintage meets tailoring, functionality meets imagination,” concluded the executive.

The second phase of the campaign takes the form of “Imagined Worlds,” a new brand universe concept that launches on September 28. According to the company, this dreamlike vision returns to and reworks the initial idea behind Banana Republic, which was originally conceived as a faraway, fictitious land – “like Shangri-La, Middle Earth, Westeros, or Wakanda,” the brand clarified. This reimagining of Banana Republic’s roots is meant to serve as a platform through which it can reconsider and redefine not only fashion and design, but also activism and sustainability.
 
Both “The New Look” and “Imagined Worlds” will be rolled out across digital, social and media channels.