Is Banana Republic the New J.Crew?

Sure you shop Banana Republic for your staple work sheath, but have you considered the brand for your everything else? Creative director Marissa Webb certainly hopes so. And since I'm sure I wasn't the only one who wished the room was shoppable when I walked into the Fall '15 presentation, Webb just might be getting exactly what she wants.

Wall to wall, there wasn't a bag, a pair of jeans, a coat, or a well-heeled loafer that wasn't wearable, impeccably styled, and impossibly cool. Cooler still were the pops of neon amid the darker Fall tones — a hot-pink shift between two monochromatic burgundy outfits or a cropped cobalt coat as a contrast to neutral grays and camel. It's classic with a twist, the kind that comes with cheeky messages plastered on clutches and a splash of camo print on an otherwise understated tote. And the denim is better than we remember from the label — cut in culottes (all the better to show off your heels) and given the perfect distressed treatment. Altogether, it seems to beg the question: is Banana Republic the new J.Crew?