In March of 2023, GQ style editor Yang-Yi Goh broke the biggest story in mall-related news since the doom-and-gloom prophesying of the pandemic years: Banana Republic was good again. The Gap-owned galleria stalwart was never bad, per se, but over the years it had strayed from its adventure-outfitter heritage, trading the rugged hallmarks of the ’70s-era jet-set for more anodyne corporate-drone fare. Its sudden menswear glow-up was a glorious return to form, jam-packed with snap-front western shirts, double-pleated khaki pants, and enough suede to outfit ABBA—on an ABBA cover band budget. Our interest was officially piqued.
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To keep us interested, though, BR would have to play more than just the hits. So for its latest fall drop, the brand pulled inspiration from a different archetype altogether: the ‘90s heartthrob, he of louche, pleated trousers, rumpled striped shirts, and cropped, boxy jackets. It’s not quite an about-face for the brand—before all of that was retro-cool, Banana Republic helped make it cool cool—but it’s one of the savviest plays yet from a rejuvenated big-box retailer not named J.Crew. Make moves to the Banana Republic site to browse the collection in its entirety, or keep scrolling to ogle a dozen or so of our favorite picks below.
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