Banana Republic to close UK and EU webstores next month

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Apr 22, 2022

The end of May will see the final exit of Gap Inc’s Banana Republic brand from the UK with its webstore due to shut after the company in 2016 closed its British physical stores. The firm is also shutting down its EU webstore.

The retailer, which sells womenswear and menswear, has around 700 stores in total globally. Within this it operates a number of franchised stores in 20 countries and has an online business serving many more geographies.

Only last month, the fashion brand announced that it has teamed up with its distribution partner, True Alliance, to launch the brand in Australia both online and via department store David Jones. 

But with the UK and EU websites set to close, the company has launched a 60% off everything “customer appreciation” sale.

It’s a sad end to what had been an ambitious expansion plan in Europe for Gap’s premium brand and also reflects the overall problems for its parent company outside of its core markets.

All Gap stores were closed in the UK and Ireland last year, although Next now represents the brand in Britain and has started to add Gap concessions into its locations, as well as operating its e-store.