Mrs. Draper Inspires Banana Republic’s Newest Mad Men Collection

The 50-plus pieces of apparel and accessories for men and women will demonstrate the era's new love of prints and geometry

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In real life, 1966 was dominated by Beatlemania and the Vietnam War. On Mad Men, 1966 was the year of Megan Draper. Don’s hip new wife received epic proportions of screen time and story lines on season 5, but her outfits also notably heralded in mod fashion. Her hemlines got shorter, her colors got brighter, and actress Jessica Paré’s long, lean frame made for an ideal late-’60s fashion plate. As it turns out, even modern-day companies need to keep up with this historical transformation—Banana Republic is centering its next Mad Men collection on Megan’s style. Select stores and the website will begin selling the items on March 1.

The 50-plus pieces of apparel and accessories for men and women will demonstrate the era’s new love of prints and geometry. The women’s collection will feature shift dress with shorter hemlines and keyhole details, along with mirrored heel shoes, graphic scarves and geometric jewelry. Men can channel their inner Roger Sterling with bold plaids and stripes, sport coats, fedoras and skinny ties.

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Janie Bryant, the show’s costume designer and collaborator on the Mad Men collections, told WWD, “Megan represents the young and modern. She really represents a changing of the times.”

Banana Republic’s creative director and executive vice president Simon Kneen noted Draper’s more adventurous taste, compared to Don’s first wife, Betty. “Obviously, Megan’s influence in the series, and her character is fabulous. She takes risks and is a little bit more in the know in terms of fashion.”

Though Megan embodies the kitten-heeled, head-scarved hippie vibe, Kneen promises that the new collection will be more modern than mod. “Janie looks at what people were wearing at the time,” he said. “It’s certainly not costume. It’s real clothes for today.”

The upcoming line is the third c0llaboration between the workplace style chain and the retro show. Previous collections showcased Betty’s predilection for more conservative early ’60s looks like full skirts and cardigans. The new apparel pieces will range from $49.50–$140 for women and $44.50–$375 for men. Accessories will cost between $29.50–$128 for women and $45–$69.50 for men.