Banana Republic’s creative director springs into action with collection

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Banana Republic has a new creative director -- Simon Kneen. Formerly of Retail Brand Alliance, which owns Brooks Brothers, and head designer of the Balmain runway collection, Kneen has experience at all levels of the market, which should make his take on the affordable luxury giant all the more interesting.

He’s had the Banana Republic job since last January, but the spring collection hitting stores now is the first to reflect his creative input. Kneen is responsible for all aspects of the brand, from store design to collection design. And this season, he’s also launching the new, great-looking, eco-chic Heritage line, 95% of which is made from sustainable fabrics and trim. We exchanged e-mails recently, and he told me about his inspiration and who he dreams of dressing:

What’s your earliest memory of Banana Republic?

I remember walking into the Lexington Avenue store probably 20 years ago and after stepping over jeeps, banana plants and vintage luggage, buying a safari shirt and my first ever cargo shorts. I wish I had kept them.

Are you taking the brand in a new direction?

I’m very lucky to join a brand that wasn’t broken or needed reinventing. As creative director, I felt that the Spring/Summer season should be about lightness and breeziness through the color, the fit and the styling. This seems like a perfect fit to the brand and seems to be a direction we are keeping with as we move forward into these challenging times.

What was your inspiration for the spring collection?

Like most collections, it’s never really one thing that inspires me but multiple things that create a mood or a feeling that I design to. Certainly working a lot in San Francisco –- the colors, the architecture and the optimism I felt there –- was something that affected my mood when working on the collection. I was compelled to buy books on Hockney and his Californian period; I started to listen to early Mama’s and Papas and Beach Boys and I felt that wonderful sunny feeling you get driving in a convertible car.

What are the must-have pieces?

I am crazy about the dresses –- the gray-marl sweater dress (above right, $130 in stores now) and the silk bamboo strapless are two of my favorites. But the must-have would have to be the soft cargo pants in silk (below left, in stores in April) from our debut women’s Heritage line.

If you could dress anyone now, who would it be?

Mrs. Obama of course! Apart from being a wonderful, inspiring person and a perfect clothes-horse (stately with great shoulders), she is someone who people will emulate. I will say that I preferred her fresh, early looks. Those early looks reflected a simple, classic attitude she became so loved for when we were first introduced to our new first lady.

What are you wearing now?

I am having a navy blue moment –- the perfect color for early spring days –- an old cashmere sweater and BR Monogram pants.

-- Booth Moore

Photo (top): Simon Kneen. Credit: Tom Monro