“Banana Republic was so part of my youth culture, it was the big store where you’d go when you wanted something chic,” says designer L’Wren Scott. It’s amusing to imagine the statuesque beauty, now sipping coffee in a penthouse suite at the Plaza hotel, shopping as a teenager in Utah (where she grew up), but a lot has changed for both Scott and Banana in the decades since those mall visits. She, of course, has skyrocketed from top Hollywood stylist to major designer with an atelier in Paris. Meanwhile, Banana has shifted from its safari-themed roots—remember when there were army jeeps in the stores and T-shirts displayed on wooden crates—to becoming a global label beloved for its urban, accessible, day-to-night wardrobe. Now, the two forces are coming together with the Banana Republic L’Wren Scott Collection, launching in select stores and online December 5.
“We were looking for something beautiful and feminine and fun for the holidays,” says Banana Republic creative director and executive vice president of design Simon Kneen. As one would expect, the well-edited capsule selection of clothes and accessories includes plenty of what Kneen affectionately calls “L’Wren-isms.” By that he means figure-skimming, hourglass dresses, fitted blazers, skinny pants, and colorful, playful prints. One of the patterns is a replica of a photo Scott took with her iPad of the peonies in her garden. There are also candy-striped silk pajamas for entertaining at home—the ultimate luxury, according to the jet-setting designer who co-created this collection with herself in mind. Though, when it came to creating the embellished faux-fur collars and lip-patterned clutches, you could argue Scott was also thinking of her friends and family. “I kept saying to Simon, ‘Can’t we do gifts?’ ” she says with a laugh. “Which was so my own selfish interest to make my holiday shopping list a little lighter. I’ve already pre-ordered everything I can.” (vogue)
“We were looking for something beautiful and feminine and fun for the holidays,” says Banana Republic creative director and executive vice president of design Simon Kneen. As one would expect, the well-edited capsule selection of clothes and accessories includes plenty of what Kneen affectionately calls “L’Wren-isms.” By that he means figure-skimming, hourglass dresses, fitted blazers, skinny pants, and colorful, playful prints. One of the patterns is a replica of a photo Scott took with her iPad of the peonies in her garden. There are also candy-striped silk pajamas for entertaining at home—the ultimate luxury, according to the jet-setting designer who co-created this collection with herself in mind. Though, when it came to creating the embellished faux-fur collars and lip-patterned clutches, you could argue Scott was also thinking of her friends and family. “I kept saying to Simon, ‘Can’t we do gifts?’ ” she says with a laugh. “Which was so my own selfish interest to make my holiday shopping list a little lighter. I’ve already pre-ordered everything I can.” (vogue)
