The Story Behind Abandoned Republic

The goal of this site is to create an easily browsable archive of vintage Banana Republic catalogs for collectors, as well as document the history of Banana Republic.  Hopefully this makes it easier to find the proper names of a garment and understand it’s place in the Banana Republic timeline. 

My story is this: I have loved Banana Republic clothes ever since I was a teenager. That made me a bit of an outsider among my peers, though my close friends shared the enthusiasm if not the wardrobe. I was never comfortable with teen fashion in the 80s, but nonetheless, the infusions of adventure and romance that Banana Republic traded in was right up my alley. I visited the Banana Republic store each time I left New Mexico for a larger city. The San Francisco, Washington DC, New York and London stores all got a visit from me. 

I picked up my first catalog from my father, who actually was the adventure traveller I would never be. He lived in the Alaskan wilderness while I grew up in the suburbs of a New Mexico town. The illustrated Banana Republic catalog was particularly attractive to me as a young artist. So distinctive and beautifully rendered, I was astonished at what they achieved at the time.

When I came across a giant collection of Banana Republic catalogs, I decided it was up to me to put an archive together.

— Robyn Adams

It was a grand day when 35 vintage Banana Republic catalogs arrived at my house. That same week I picked up a vintage Banana Republic shoebox to keep them in and a Bi-Plane gift box I have big plans for.