The same ‘nowstalgia’ blueprint is informing Banana Republic’s revival. After years caught somewhere between premium pieces and everyday basics, sales were down 3% in the first quarter of 2025. Now, the brand is returning to its roots: aspirational American style for those who love to explore.
For Anvary, that means sewing product and storytelling together, threaded by her journey into the 1978-founded brand’s past.
In the archive, she found tropical prints on travel zines, catalogs featuring illustrations of explorers, and images of bold window displays with “massive faux giraffes, zebras, animals and lions,” featuring safari jeeps crashing through the glass.
The brand’s product and design teams are now nodding to these old brand codes with pieces focused on travel and quiet luxury. Think silk resort shirts, pleated wide-leg trousers, and knit polos—and the marketing team is in “lockstep” with this vision.
“It’s so important for marketing and product teams to be in sync,” said Anvary, revealing she sits in on design reviews as the product team does on photoshoots.
“We’ve got this small, scrappy entrepreneurial team,” she said. “A lot of that is driven by the culture Richard has unlocked at Gap and Banana Republic.”
A White Lotus Success Story
The manifestation of this marketing and product tie-up came through in Banana Republic’s recent collaboration with HBO for a capsule collection inspired by the hit series The White Lotus. “Tapping into that zeitgeist felt like a natural brand fit for us,” said Anvary.
The 24-piece, resort-chic range featured men’s and women’s apparel and accessories with “rich hues” of turquoise and yellow alongside graphic prints and fluid silhouettes.
The partnership jumped seamlessly from screen to shelves, backed by a social-heavy campaign featuring show stars Patrick Schwarzenegger and Nicholas DuVernay.
