Banana Republic’s Newest “Edition”

So, according to CNN, Banana Republic is going to open an accessories-only test store. Yay! BUT, the accessories store, Edition, will only open exclusively in parent company Gap's hometown Westfield San Francisco Centre in May. The limited-edition handbags, jewelry, shoes, sunglasses and personal-care products will not be sold online or at any other Banana Republic locations. Grr! Apparently Banana has been struggling to keep up due to consumers cutting back in these rough economic times. Rather than close current stores, their plan is to open shops with accessories priced mostly below $100 to “lure ever-more discriminating shoppers seeking both style and value." Hopefully Edition does better than their higher-end test store Monogram, which closed after nine months. After visiting the barren Greenwich Village location this doesn’t exactly come as a huge shocker. So to all San Franciscans, be sure to check out the test store because we’d love to see Edition on this side of town.

Source: [CNN]
Photo Courtesy of Banana Republic via Reuters