Banana Republic goes thrifting to create a limited, vintage collection of clothes they once sold
With a nostalgic nod to its heyday, Banana Republic just released a limited collection of 225 hand-selected, vintage Banana Republic pieces. The brand worked with Thrilling to source the items from vintage clothing stores across the US, which it's reselling online and at one of its New York stores.
As 'Banana Republic Travel & Safari Clothing Company', the company started off as a surplus store back in 1978, so it's no stranger to selling repurposed clothing. It's also not the first fashion brand to sell preloved items from its own archives; last year, Levi's created a buyback program and secondhand marketplace, and Guess launched a certified vintage line.
Trend Bite
The limited nature of BR Vintage — almost all of the pieces sold out within a few days — means this isn't a major sustainability play, but Banana Republic is clearly tapping into several fashion trends: enduring nostalgia for the eighties and nineties, drop culture — which has evolved into a regular marketing tactic — and of course the rapid growth of thrifting. Driven by the ease of secondhand clothing apps and a desire for sustainable clothing options, shoppers who previously flocked to fast fashion are turning to thrifting in ever greater numbers.
According to ThredUp's 2021 Resale Report, the US secondhand apparel market is projected to double to USD 77 billion from 2021 to 2025. Most of that growth will come from resale, which is expected to grow 11 times faster than the broader clothing sector. While limited to data on US consumers, the report is worth checking out for a deeper look at the secondhand apparel market.
According to ThredUp's 2021 Resale Report, the US secondhand apparel market is projected to double to USD 77 billion from 2021 to 2025. Most of that growth will come from resale, which is expected to grow 11 times faster than the broader clothing sector. While limited to data on US consumers, the report is worth checking out for a deeper look at the secondhand apparel market.
