Can Banana Republic make a comeback?

Banana Republic has long been a quintessential brand for workwear, ranging in everything from men's shirts to work dresses. Recently though, the brand has been having a bit of a rough time. Their sales have declined over 10 percent, and their parent company Gap Inc. has been struggling, resulting in store closures and employee layoffs.

Perhaps this Fashion Week will signify the return of a comeback for the brand, but how did Banana Republic get to where it is today?

In 1978, the clothing retailer was founded by Mel and Patricia Ziegler with a safari theme. In 1983, the company was purchased by Gap Inc., who gave it a more upscale image.

Overtime Banana Republic would become a mid to high range priced brand that was a go-to for both casual preppy offerings and workwear.

The brand has come a long way since the days when they were first bought by Gap Inc. Now, they boast a total of 682 stores globally.

Will Banana Republic finally be positioned for successful sales this NYFW

However, without a creative director at the helm, where does that leave the direction of the brand?

In the late 00s, the brand began seeing sales decline, losing ground to competitors like Zara. Since then, it seems they have a hard time finding their voice.

To help revive their stagnant aesthetic and boost their sales, they brought in Marissa Webb, who formerly worked for J. Crew, as their new creative director. While Webb's designs were well received by critics and even gave J. Crew a brief uptick in sales, she stepped down from her role after just over a year. Although she still serves in a creative advisor role for the brand, there is no head-honcho to give the collection a defining voice.

When the brand started showing at New York Fashion Week during February 2015, it was clear that they were really trying to position themselves as a more high-end label. That hasn't seemed to work for them however, so perhaps they might want to go back to their roots as a preppy work suitable brand.

Since their Fashion Week debut, they have continued on in their attempt to be more of a luxury brand. For their recent fall/winter 2016 collection, the design team went to Paris to find inspiration to create a chic, modern collection that would appeal to a broad range of customers.

On Friday, September 9, in the midst of Fashion Week they announced Olivia Palermo as their next global style ambassador.

By fall/winter 2017, we shall see if their attempts have actually translated to sales. This might be the brand's chance at a comeback.