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On Wednesday, Banana Republic unveiled their new store prototype at 522 Broadway between Prince & Spring Street in Soho. The two level, 18,000-square-foot store offers up a series of ‘rooms’ off a main boulevard – each designed as an idealized wardrobe. The higher priced ‘Monogram’ is placed center front with ‘rooms’ for accessories, city workwear, urban weekendwear, party wear and the vintage inspired ‘Heritage’ Collection. This idea of ‘rooms’ is catching on with Abercrombie & Fitch,
Hollister and American Eagle (new prototype store at Garden State Plaza, NJ) presenting their merchandise in this format. It creates a more intimate feel, a boutique within a store – if you will. And Banana Republic have done a beautiful job which we believe enhances their Collection. The problem as I see it – is that the customer today does not wear Collections today – she wears disparate items culled from a wide range of thoughts, inspirations, moods and feelings. She wants to mix it up and add a touch of her individuality. Banana Republic needs to be less ‘matchy/matchy’, less designed and less serious – Banana Republic needs to go back to it’s roots. This prototype store is a strong ‘new’ beginning!

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