I have to say I was a bit shocked to see a new catalog pop into my mail box at home. I should clarify that it was my physical mail box (or snail mail box).

The catalog was from Banana Republic Home, or what I now see is called BR Home. I was a bit caught off guard because I hadn’t realized that Banana Republic had gotten into home furnishings and accessories.

I have long been a fan of the Banana Republic brand for its men’s clothing from back in the day when it had its original “safari” style to its fashion evolution through the years although admittedly it has fallen off my radar the last few years. I don’t personally see their retail stores as much nor their online/social activity nor their catalogs.

And suddenly there in my mailbox is Banana Republic Home. A beautiful line of home fashion that to me looked like an upgraded feel of what I knew to be their clothing lines.

I had heard that the fashion side of the brand was going for a new makeover, as perhaps other brands within the parent company Gap. So maybe “home” is part of that overhaul. Certainly not the first fashion brand to add a home line, so there is lots of case studies in this area. And certainly lots of examples where the fashion aesthetic translates well to a home aesthetic. And I think that’s the case here as well. Take a look …

I love watching a brand working hard to transform. I’m betting that the Banana Republic brand needed a transformation in a highly competitive fashion market post-pandemic. So why not expand the view and add home fashion to the mix to signal a true transformation, giving your latent (and current) fans a reason to re-engage, and perhaps open up a new market with new consumers.

That’s smart. What’s your experience? JIM