Banana Republic Archive
For my first project as Associate Creative Director at Banana Republic, I led the creative design and direction for the launch and ongoing evolution of the Banana Republic Archive — a platform celebrating the brand’s deep heritage through curated vintage, limited drops, and storytelling that traces our roots back to 1978.
The Archive landing page was designed to educate and immerse guests in the brand’s origins, from founders Mel and Patricia Ziegler’s early days as travel outfitters in Mill Valley to the cult-status catalogs that blended product, illustration, and cultural commentary. The experience brings together vintage shopping, archival ephemera, and brand history in a modern, editorial way.
A key moment of the project was the acquisition and integration of Abandoned Republic, the legendary archive curated by Robyn Adams — a superfan and unofficial archivist who has documented Banana Republic’s heritage for over 15 years. This partnership allowed us to unlock rare pieces and stories, bringing authenticity and credibility to the Archive platform.
I also led creative direction for Archive product drops, including a Vintage Outerwear capsule that sold out within hours. This work spanned category shopping experiences, paid and organic social assets, and campaign storytelling that balanced nostalgia with modern relevance.
The Banana Republic Archive is both a shopping destination and a living brand document — honoring the past while reintroducing it to a new generation through thoughtful design and storytelling.
Creative Team: Melissa Laux (CD), Tora Hylands (ACD/AD), Kate Haas & Michelle Wake (Design)
The Banana Republic Archive logo is a revival of one of our original vintage neck labels. We brought the label back for all Archive re‑issue pieces, updating the mark just enough to create a seamless match between the fabric label and the hangtag. A modern refresh that honors the heritage.
This reel introduced Banana Republic’s Vintage Outerwear Drop through a nostalgic, glitch‑driven visual style inspired by ’90s dial‑up internet. Each segment spotlights a different outerwear category, creating a dynamic, archival‑meets‑digital storytelling moment.
From hand-drawn logos to evolving wordmarks, the Archive tells a visual story of where we’ve been — and how we’ve changed along the way. This reel captures the brand’s graphic history as a living timeline, celebrating the details that quietly carry decades of adventure.
This reel pulls from our original Banana Republic catalogs. Hand-illustrated and filled with the things you’d pack for a life of travel. Every product was drawn, every page a new world to discover. These catalogues are an important part of our brand history, where illustration, storytelling, and product were inseparable