Speaking of struggling brands, this thread over at Sartorially Inclined suggests that Banana Republic has a major image problem. Shame. Whether or not you appreciated its take on safari chic, there was a time when BR had real character. Then, for a number of years, we could count on the brand for reasonably-priced, understated basics. At one time, it was also regarded as a solid go-to for well-cut suit jackets. More recently, BR's higher-priced Monogram collection failed to take off (admittedly in a downmarket), while its core offerings have been overshadowed by J. Crew's fiery revival and the success of Uniqlo. Now, judging by most of the comments over at SI, when guys see the name "Banana Republic," they think "Blah Republic." We're not suggesting that BR resort to gimmickry, but the operation needs a serious a shot in the arm.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Peeling Banana
Speaking of struggling brands, this thread over at Sartorially Inclined suggests that Banana Republic has a major image problem. Shame. Whether or not you appreciated its take on safari chic, there was a time when BR had real character. Then, for a number of years, we could count on the brand for reasonably-priced, understated basics. At one time, it was also regarded as a solid go-to for well-cut suit jackets. More recently, BR's higher-priced Monogram collection failed to take off (admittedly in a downmarket), while its core offerings have been overshadowed by J. Crew's fiery revival and the success of Uniqlo. Now, judging by most of the comments over at SI, when guys see the name "Banana Republic," they think "Blah Republic." We're not suggesting that BR resort to gimmickry, but the operation needs a serious a shot in the arm.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I actually thought the 'heritage' line a few years ago was better than monogram (the quality just wasn't there) and J Crew. Too bad they've let it wither. They definitely need to do something.
ReplyDeletenah, BR seems to have a different target in mind than the J.Crew, Club Monaco, Uniqlo set and they're older, busier, and most importantly larger. BR's stuff tends to look much better on people that aren't early 20's and fit. you couldn't pay me to wear much of anything from them, but it suits my late 30's brother showing the effects of raising family pretty well. i'd put them on as a dressier alternative for your typical mainline Land's End customer.
ReplyDelete