Founded in 1978, Banana Republic is a full-service retail brand of Gap Inc. It offers a collection of apparel, handbags, jewelry, fragrance and eyewear. Banana Republic operates more than 500 company-owned stores in North America, the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan, along with over 50 franchise stores around the world. The parent company, Gap Inc. is one of the global leaders in specialty retail, offering clothing, accessories and personal care products for men, women, children as well as babies. It operates under the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta brands.