Fragrance house

Banana Republic

Banana Republic began in 1978 in Mill Valley, California, founded by journalist Mel Ziegler and illustrator Patricia Gwilliam Ziegler as a travel outfitter built around vintage military-surplus clothing and travel storytelling. Its early identity took shape through illustrated catalogs, fictional travel narratives, and the reuse and creative adaptation of surplus garments. In 1983, the founders sold the business to Gap Inc.; after the acquisition, it evolved from a small safari- and travel-themed store-and-catalog business into a broader, more upscale clothing brand. Mel and Patricia Ziegler resigned in 1988 after Gap increased control over the company’s design and direction. The brand collaborated with Mad Men costume director Janie Bryant on a collection in 2011, with further collaborations in 2012 and 2013. In October 2021, Banana Republic relaunched around an updated interpretation of its heritage, with emphasis on craftsmanship, storytelling, and contemporary design. In September 2025, it acquired the Abandoned Republic digital archive and launched Banana Republic Archive to preserve and reinterpret its illustrated catalogs, memorabilia, and vintage design history. Its fragrance line includes Wildbloom, introduced in 2011, followed by Wildbloom Vert and Wildblue in 2012.