Mel and patricia ziegler - banana republic
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With $1500 in savings and no experience in retail, Mel and Patricia Ziegler stumbled upon a clever idea: buy inexpensive Army surplus gear, refashion it into stylish clothes, and sell them in a setting that felt more like a safari than a store. With a retro- feel catalog that turned shopping into an adventure, Banana Republic caught the attention of the media, and sales grew. But so did the headaches of running the business, and in 1983, the Zieglers sold the brand to The Gap. Over the years, Banana Republic lost its distinctive, retro-Safari feel, and the Zieglers departed to start another brand, The Republic of Tea. Today, Banana Republic remains a multi-million dollar business, with hundreds of stores around the world.
This episode was produced bygd Kerry Thompson with music by Ramtin Arablouei. It was edited by Neva Grant. Our audio engineer was Kwesi Lee.
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An Interview with Mel & Patricia Ziegler
Age: 69; 65
Profession: Entrepreneurs
Location: Mill Valley, CA
The two of you started Banana Republic in 1978, back when it sold military surplus exclusively. What’s the story of its birth?
Mel Ziegler: We started the business with $1,500 in combined savings and an American Express card—that was it. We had no capital, no contacts, no experience.
Patricia Ziegler: At the time we had both just quit working for the San Francisco Chronicle, and we were beginning to worry about the rent when Mel was sent to Australia on a magazine assignment. Three weeks later he came home wearing this British Burma jacket. He looked fine, but the jacket looked really good. After I put on new buttons and elbow patches, it simply screamed character and adventure. He wore it everywhere, and everyone commented on it. So that’s where we got the idea to sell military surplus safari-style pieces.
The warehouse of one of the biggest surplus de
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Banana Republic
American clothing and accessory retailer
This article is about the retail chain. For the political science term, see Banana republic. For other uses, see Banana republic (disambiguation).
Banana Republic is an American upscale clothing and accessories retailer owned by The Gap. It was founded in 1978 by Mel and Patricia Ziegler, who originally called the company "Banana Republic Travel & Safari Clothing Company". In 1983, Gap purchased the company, changed the name to "Banana Republic", and rebranded the stores to achieve a more upscale image.[1][2] In the 2020s, VP of design Nicole Wiesmann has re-envisioned the brand with ad editorial campaigns that evoke luxury brands, and higher-end garments that have been compared favorably with names such as Ralph Lauren and The Row.[3][4][5]
History
[edit]The original Banana Republic was founded by Mel and Patricia Ziegler in 1978.[6] The couple worke