About Banana Republic
You may know Banana Republic as part of Gap Inc., but it was originally founded as a separate entity in 1978 by Mel and Patricia Ziegler. The two-store chain sold travel and safari-themed clothing, which was marketed in unique, hand-drawn catalogs, filled with stories of exotic locations. Other products in the catalog received the same dramatic treatment, and the interior of the stores was outlined in a safari motif, with real jeeps, trees and plants. Steam and fog were generated to amplify the mood. Gap purchased Banana Republic in 1983, and the brand was changed to the high-end clothing store you know today.
