Mel patricia ziegler biography

Age: 69; 65
Profession: Entrepreneurs
Location: Mill Valley, CA

The two of you started Banana Republic in 1978, back when it sold military surplus exclusively.

What’s the story of its birth?

Mel Ziegler: We started the business with $1,500 in combined savings and an American Express card—that was it. We had no capital, no contacts, no experience.

Patricia Ziegler: At the time we had both just quit working for the San Francisco Chronicle, and we were beginning to worry about the rent when Mel was sent to Australia on a magazine assignment.

Mel patricia ziegler biography

Three weeks later he came home wearing this British Burma jacket. He looked fine, but the jacket looked really good. After I put on new buttons and elbow patches, it simply screamed character and adventure. He wore it everywhere, and everyone commented on it.

So that’s where we got the idea to sell military surplus safari-style pieces.

The warehouse of one of the biggest surplus de