70’s-80’s Banana Republic 100% Cotton Sweater / Vintage

Size Type

Regular

Size

M

Material

Cotton

Truly a vintage BR sweater- circa late 70’s or early 80’s. Made in The British Crown Colony of Hong Kong tag and logo are indicators of the age. Nearly perfect condition however there are faint stains on both undersides of the sleeves. *PLEASE INSPECT PHOTOS CLOSELY* We do not accept returns for clothing* Not sure if they can be professionally removed but absolutely worth the effort. The cotton quality is amazing as well as the structure. Please see photos for measurements also in description. Tag indicates size Large however this would fit more like a S/M for a woman. Lovely navy colored edging gives this sweater a preppy, boyfriend fit vibe. The company was the brainchild of Mel Ziegler, a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, and his wife Patricia Gwilliam Ziegler who worked as a courtroom artist for the same paper. Inspired by a surplus Bush jacket Mel brought back from a work trip to Australia, the couple eventually left their jobs and began buying bulk surplus vintage clothing–often altering it with new buttons or elbow patches and the like–and selling them at the Marin County Flea Market. When a large purchase of Spanish military shirts turned out to have unnaturally short arms they turned disaster into fortune by concocting the fictitious story of Generalissimo Franco’s “Short Armed Paratrooper Shirts”. A catalogue soon followed with similarly creative copy written by Mel and illustrations of the clothing by Patricia. Opening in 1978, a shop in their hometown of Mill Valley, California prospered thanks to their hard work and creative energy; but there were limits to how far they could grow: In 1983 they sold BR to Donald Fisher of the Gap who wisely insisted they remain as the heads of the company with a “hands off” agreement that promised total creative freedom. The infusion of money and manufacturing power of the Gap led to explosive growth: Lavishly decorated safari stores opened across the country, a team of writers and artists were hired to produce full color illustrated catalogues, and a flood of original clothing was designed and produced in factories across the world.

Style

Crewneck

Brand

Vintage Banana Republic