Banana Republic returns to the UK via NEXT

Banana Republic has made its return to the UK via its parent company Gap Inc's joint venture deal with NEXT.

NEXT already sells Gap Inc's flagship brand Gap, both online and via dedicated shop-in-shops, and will now add Banana Republic and its stablemate Athleta to its line-up.

Banana Republic is Gap Inc's accessible luxury brand and selected items from its collection are now available to purchase at Next, whilst performance and lifestyle brand Athleta arrives early next year.

Gap Inc closed its eight UK Banana Republic stores in 2016, including a flagship on London's Regent Street, and its UK website was closed earlier this year. Meanwhile all of Gap's UK stores were closed last year as part of a global store rationalisation programme.

The US fashion giant went on to strike up a joint venture with NEXT and migrated gap.co.uk to the NEXT Total Retail platform. NEXT returned the brand to the high street selling the Gap brand in dedicated shop-in-shops in London, Birmingham, Glasgow and Thurrock. The most recent, in Glasgow's Braehead shopping destination, was opened earlier this month.

“I am excited to embark on the latest part of our Joint Venture journey, with the re-introduction of two amazing brands to the market through the Next.co.uk platform,” commented Jon Jeffery, Managing Director of the joint venture.

“Both Banana Republic and Athleta are truly aspirational Gap Inc. brands, who individually offer a unique perspective and a strong design aesthetic that allows us to engage and delight new audiences and further expand our portfolio within the UK & Ireland.”