As the Second World War ended and American soldiers returned home, the country went through a period of rapid change. New tastes and influences in sport and fashion spread across the nation. Radio, TV and magazines introduced people to an active lifestyle they had never dreamed existed. As sports activities influenced many creative tailoring features, the demand for a comfortable look continued to spread. GANT shirts helped define the casual-yet-smart look. There was a booming middle class that appreciated the perfect roll of a GANT collar and the quality of fabric one could expect with a GANT shirt. Until the late 1960s GANT had been solely a shirtmaker but now the time had come to use their specialist knowledge to broaden their range. In 1971, they produced their first collection of American Sportswear including ties, trousers and rugby shirts.
1949 and onward
ENTERING AMERICAN SPORTSWEAR
From Ivy League to American Sportswear, GANT helps define the casual-yet-smart look.
Contents of this issue
The GANT credo
Heritage
GANT is a company driven by a simple idea: Never Stop Learning. It’s a belief that has guided us since 1949 when Bernard Gantmacher founded a shirtmaking company in the college town of New Haven, Connecticut.
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Original Shirtmakers
BORN IN 1949
For GANT, it all began with shirts and we’ve never stopped reinventing them. Born in 1949, it’s a shirt that is rich in legacy and history.
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1907-1927
The Start Of A Long Journey
The story of GANT begins with a Ukrainian boy in search of a better life who sailed to America, fell in love, found success and forever changed American style.
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Original Shirtmakers
AN AMERICAN DREAM
1927-1949
THE GANT BRAND IS BORN
Encouraged by his sons, Bernard Gantmacher establishes GANT Inc. and starts to make shirts under the company’s own label.
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1950s
THE COLOUR EXPLOSION
In the 1950s the prevailing colour for a man’s shirt is white – until GANT invents a daring new look, sparking the Oxford Colour Explosion.
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Mid-1950s
THE MARK OF QUALITY
How a discreet G, stamped on the tail of the shirt, becomes part of the American menswear history.
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1949-1959
REACHING THE RIGHT CROWD
1954-1959
NEW HAVEN & THE IVY LEAGUE LOOK
Influenced by the city of New Haven, Connecticut, and the nearby Yale University, GANT plays a major role in shaping the Ivy League Look.
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1949-1960
GANT SIGNATURES
The perfect roll, the locker loop, the box pleat, the back collar button and the button tab. Innovation is key for a company that is ahead of its competition.
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