Banana Republic, collaborating with The Explorers Club, is launching an “Archive Reissue” capsule collection reimagining through a contemporary lens some of the brand’s best styles from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.
The 20-piece capsule collection debuts Tuesday at 29 of the fashion brand’s stores in the U.S. and Japan, and on the website. Banana Republic’s stores in New York; Los Angeles; the San Francisco Bay Area; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, and Dallas are participating.
Last September, Banana Republic Archive featuring styles from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s was launched, offering limited-run drops and styles cloaked in “immersive storytelling.” To enhance the narrative, Abandoned Republic, a digital collection of catalogues and brand-centric memorabilia, was acquired.
Related Articles
“Our archive program has two components to it,” explained Meena Anvary, chief marketing officer at Banana Republic. “First, Archive Reissue launching with The Explorers Club are new editions of archival pieces, curated by our team. Secondly, we have the vintage drops started last September, with the next one coming in the summer. Those are more focused, vintage pieces from our past. We have an in-house team sourcing them, and we have incredible archives in New York and San Francisco.”
You May Also Like
Asked if the Archive Reissue capsule emphasizes Banana Republic’s once highly popular safari look, which was particularly big in the 1970s and 1980s, Anvary said the capsule with some elements “hits on utilities. We have fishermen vests and we have pants that zip off into shorts so it’s more about adventure and hitting on the mindset of exploration, which is broader” than just safari. Banana Republic in the 1990s, she said, “evolved into more of an Americana sportswear and minimalism component, but still with the richness of incredible fabrics and textures. We intentionally broadened this 20-piece collection to focus on three decades and serve it up in a way that felt timeless and modern.”
Anvary said partnering with The Explorers Club “amplifies” Banana Republic’s positioning and purpose inspiring modern explorers and travel. The collaboration, she added, will continue in different ways through this year, beyond the capsule collection. “Stay tuned for that,” she said.
Banana Republic and The Explorers Club both have rich histories, making for a logical tie-in. For over 120 years The Explorers Club has advanced field research, scientific exploration, and conservation. Banana Republic was founded in 1978 by Mel and Patricia Ziegler as a catalogue specializing in surplus military clothing, safari jackets, and adventure wear, with colorful illustrations and content that reads like a travelogue. Later, stores featuring exotic decor like Jeeps dangling from the ceiling and live foliage enhanced the aura. Banana Republic was acquired by Gap Inc. in 1983.
The Archive Reissue campaign was photographed by Andrew Jacobs at The Explorers Club at 46 East 70th Street in Manhattan, which contains a vast archive of artifacts, maps, books, films, taxidermy and records from explorations, including an Apollo 11 moon flag and Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon-Tiki globe.
The campaign features actor Joshua Jackson, well-known for his role in “Dawson’s Creek” and soon to be seen in an upcoming movie, “Happy Hours.” He is committed to wildlife protection in India and supports marine conservation with Oceana. The cast also includes marine conservationist and model Jon Paul Phillips; model and multidisciplinary artist Farah Nieuwburg, and outdoors community-builder Michael Washington. Social media, wild postings, and archival catalogs are part of the campaign. There’s also a short-form video series directed by Joshua Charow, spotlighting biochemist Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza, marine biologist Daniel Cáceres Barta, and geoscientist and astronaut Sian Proctor, who are members of The Explorers Club’s EC50.
“The Explorers Club has spent more than 120 years championing curiosity, discovery, and the human drive to go further — and Banana Republic has spent nearly five decades outfitting that same spirit. This collaboration feels genuinely natural,” Jamie Robinson, vice president for corporate outreach, The Explorers Club, said in a statement. “The archive pieces in this collection carry the same DNA as the expeditions we support: purposeful, built to last, and designed for the world beyond the ordinary. We are proud to open our doors for this partnership and to share the stories of the remarkable explorers whose work continues to expand what we know about our planet and beyond.”
