Wild About Blue
Our new men’s fragrance Wildblue is seriously cool (and hot) for summer. To celebrate the launch of the refreshing marine–inspired scent, Banana Republic Creative Director Simon Kneen and perfumer Jean Claude Delville of Drom co-hosted a fabulous launch party at The Standard East Village in NYC.
To find out more about Wildblue, we chatted up merchandise manager JoEllen D. Check out the Q+A below along with photos from the event.
BR: How would you describe the scent of Wildblue?
JoEllen: Wildblue is fresh and spicy, with hints of marine notes.
Banana Republic: What is the inspiration for the scent? Main notes?
JoEllen: We worked with Jean-Claude Delville of Drom fragrances to develop Wildblue. (He also created our iconic Classic scent.) In creating Wildblue, Jean-Claude was inspired by spending time under the bountiful skies near the Sea of Cortez, which he describes as “an unexpected moment of beauty and escape.” The fragrance itself evokes Jean-Claude’s inspiration, including a blend of fresh desert air accord, rich sage, driftwood and masculine dewy-green vetiver.
Meet Digby
Speaking of going to the dogs, how cute is this photo from our Summer 2012 collection featuring the new Digby Brogue?
In sandy suede, or full-grain leather (black or camel) this oxford has become a favorite of the men in our office this season. Call it puppy love.
Taylor Stitch x Banana Republic
It’s a match made in San Francisco—Banana Republic and local clothier Taylor Stitch have come together to create one ultra-cool custom-shirting collaboration.
Made in the USA, this limited-edition collection is exclusively available at our San Francisco Grant Street Flagship. Ready to play designer? It’s quick and easy—just choose your fabric, collar, buttons and pockets, etc. and create your own custom shirt with the perfect fit.
Recently, Angela Tafoya of Refinery 29 interviewed Milo Slattery, our VP of merchandising to get the details on how this collaboration came together.
AT: How did this collaboration come about?
MS: The concept originated the end of last year when two of Banana Republic mens’ merchants visited the Taylor Stitch store and fell in love with their classic RTW shirts and impressive range of custom fabrics. Banana Republic takes pride in consistently providing customers with well tailored pieces, so to work together on a capsule seemed like a natural fit.”
AT: How important is it for you to collaborate with S.F.-based brands?
MS: We really loved the idea of collaborating with a San Francisco-based company. As you know, Gap was started right here in San Francisco by Don and Doris Fisher and Banana Republic launched in Mill Valley. We admire the entrepreneurial spirit of Taylor Stitch and think working with another S.F. company is a great way to honor our heritage.
The Khaki Utility Blazer
One jacket. Four pockets. All sorts of useful. Dressed up or down, freshly pressed or a last-minute layer, this is your new staple.
You may not immediately think office sleek but you’ll command all the right kind of attention when you pair this military-inspired jacket with a crisp white shirt and tie. After 5? Ditch the knot, throw on a crewneck and head directly to happy hour. How’s that for versatility?
