Savia Raiment

Mel and Patricia Ziegler co-founded Banana Republic back in 1978. The company was bought by Gap in 1983 and now operates as a division, now with over 600 stores located internationally.
Their businesses tend to be highly imaginative and creatively focused on aligning the product and the culture with an articulated “voice and vision” that is unique to its moment. Their new book is called Wild Company: The Untold Story of Banana Republic.

With $1,500 and no business experience, Mel and Patricia Ziegler turned a wild idea into a company that would become the international retail colossus Banana Republic. Re-imagining military surplus as safari and expedition wear, the former journalist and artist created a world that captured the zeitgeist for a generation and spoke to the creativity, adventure, and independence in everyone.

In a book that’s honest, funny, and charming, Mel and Patricia tell in alternating voices how they upended business conventions and survived on their wits and imagination. Many retail and fashion merchants still consider Banana Republic’s early heyday to be one of the most remarkable stories in fashion and business history.

A love story wrapped in a business adventure, Wild Company is a soulful, inspiring tale for readers determined to create their own destiny with a passion for life and work and fun.

Savia Raiment Salute the Visionaries .

Inditex's founder, Amancio Ortega, is benefiting from his company's wild success: this summer, he surpassed Warren Buffet to become the second richest man in the world. (He was the richest man in the world for a few minutes in October, Forbes reported.)

But what is it about Zara that sets it apart from other fast fashion companies, like H&M, Forever 21, Topshop, and the jawdroppingly cheap Primark? And more so, what has made it thrive in time when many traditional retailers are failing?

This Spanish retailer with the 'best business model' in apparel is scaring Gap, Abecrombie &... ReutersA woman dresses a mannequin at Zara's headquarters in Spain.Zara should make traditional retailers shake in their boots.Year after year, the Spanish