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1960s

YALE CO-OP STORE

The GANT shirt becomes an immediate sensation at the Yale Co-op campus store.

For the students, the Yale Co-op was more than just the place to stock up on everything from toothbrushes to textbooks. The on-campus store was also where they went to buy clothing and as the Ivy League Look exploded, the Yale Co-op was the nexus of the new style.

The store was founded in 1885 and was the second-oldest university store in the States (just beaten by the Harvard COOP). It supplied generations of students with the clothes that would become Ivy League essentials: natural-shoulder suits, regimental ties, V-necked sweaters, sport jackets, khakis, wing-tipped shoes and loafers – all the things needed to look cool on campus.

However, GANT’s line of shirts for the Yale Co-op was a sensation. The button-downs flew off the shelves and became an integral part of Ivy League Look. Soon the button-down shirt was found not just on campus but also across the country, seen as the essential garment for the stylish American man of the 1950s and 1960s. And for anyone who wanted the best, the GANT button-down was just the ticket.

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.

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.

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.

Original Shirtmakers

AN AMERICAN DREAM

Get a glimpse at GANT’s early, eventful years from 1907-1968.

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.

1950s

THE COLOR EXPLOSION

In the 1950s the prevailing color for a man’s shirt is white – until GANT invents a daring new look, sparking the Oxford Color Explosion.

Mid-1950s

THE MARK OF QUALITY

How a discreet G, stamped on the tail of the shirt, becomes part of the American menswear history.

1949-1959

REACHING THE RIGHT CROWD

Marty and Elliot insist that when it comes to GANT products, only the best is acceptable

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.

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.

1949 and onward

ENTERING AMERICAN SPORTSWEAR

From Ivy League to American Sportswear, GANT helps define the casual-yet-smart look.