04.12.12

Think Outside the (Light) Box

We were so charmed by this video promoting Google in Japan that we couldn’t help but share.

Fashion Show with Google from Robbin Waldemar on Vimeo.

We love the idea of taking something from the everyday and rethinking creative and fun new uses for it. Now anyone have a light projector they can loan us for the weekend?

03.09.12

Cataloging Our History

While exploring the Banana Republic archives recently, Jason B. from our social media team put together a brilliant collection of ephemera from our past. Check out these classic catalog pages from 1988, as we take a moment to reflect on our heritage.

01.31.12

Bonjour Paris

We recently opened our first store in Paris on the famed Avenue des Champs Élysées, no less. Of course, we threw a magnificent fete with full-on red carpet to celebrate our French debut. Ooh la la!

The most fashionable Parisians, including the mayor, top fashion editors and celebrities, toasted our arrival, enjoyed a Banana Republic fashion show and shopped the night away. By closing time, 5200 people had walked through the doors … having thoroughly enjoyed the latest fashions — from America with style.


1. Ribbon cutting 2. Singer, Elodie Frégé 3. François Lebel, Mayor of the 8th district of Paris 4. Store interior 5. BR brand ambassadors, Antoine de Caunes and Daphné Roulier with actress and producer Julie Gayet 6. Queue to enter 7. Fabulous hat 8. To the next level 9. Shoppers delight

01.23.12

Classically Inspired

While catching up with a favorite film this weekend — the Hitchcock classic, To Catch a Thief — we couldn’t help but notice how great those nautical stripes look on Mr. Grant (and how on trend they are for spring)!

We got to wondering what other classic icons we could find wearing this timeless look. Here are a few images we came across. If inspiration were a crime, we’d gladly be behind bars to follow this trend.

1. Coco Chanel 2. Bridget Bardot 3. James Dean 4. Jackie Kennedy 5. Audrey Hepburn

(Jackie Kennedy photo via Life.com)

01.20.12

Five Easy Lessons

While this post has been going around for a bit, it’s always nice to have a refresher in good manners, gentlemen (especially if, like us, you plan on cutting loose this weekend)!

Tom Ford’s five easy lessons on how to be a modern gentleman:

1. You should put on the best version of yourself when you go out in the world because that is a show of respect to the other people around you.

2. A gentleman today has to work. People who do not work are so boring and are usually bored. You have to be passionate, you have to be engaged and you have to be contributing to the world.

3. Manners are very important and actually knowing when things are appropriate. I always open doors for women, I carry their coat, I make sure that they’re walking on the inside of the street. Stand up when people arrive at and leave the dinner table.

4. Don’t be pretentious or racist or sexist or judge people by their background.

5. A man should never wear shorts in the city. Flip-flops and shorts in the city are never appropriate. Shorts should only be worn on the tennis court or on the beach.

Good advice never goes out of style.