Gant (company)

Bernard Gantmacher arrived in New York City in 1907, a Jewish immigrant of Ukrainian origin from Myropil. Gantmacher was employed at a garment factory sewing shirt collars and met his future wife, Rebecca Rose, a button and buttonhole specialist who worked for the same company. After Gantmacher's return from military service during World War I, the couple married and founded the Par-Ex Shirt Company with business partner Morris Shapiro. The company made shirts for brands including Brooks Brothers, J. Press and Manhattan.{{Cite news |url=http://www.nhregister.com/article/NH/20101016/NEWS/310169939 |title=Gant Returns to New Haven; Downtown Retail Store to Open This Fall |newspaper=New Haven Register |first=Cara |last=Baruzzi |date=16 October 2010 |access-date=17 June 2016}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.gant.com/heritage/the-heritage/heritage-the-start-of-a-long-journey |title=The Start of a Long Journey |publisher=Gant |access-date=17 June 2016}} In 1927, the company was relocated to New Haven, Connecticut.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/19/business/elliot-gant-marketer-of-the-button-down-shirt-dies-at-89.html|title=Elliot Gant, Marketer of the Button-Down Shirt, Dies at 89|last=Roberts|first=Sam|date=18 March 2016|work=The New York Times|access-date=12 June 2016}} In April 1949, the Gant label was launched.{{Cite web |url=http://www.envisionmagazine.ca/gant-the-hip-and-historical-brand/ |title=Gant: The Hip and Historical Brand |work=Envision Magazine |first=Paddy |last=Kamen |date=14 November 2012 |access-date=17 June 2016}} Following their father's death in 1955, Bernard's sons took over the company's operations.

GANT dress shirts were known for their back-collar button, locker loop and box pleat. In the 1960s, Gant made the Yale co-op shirt exclusively for the store on the Yale University campus.{{Cite web |url=http://themanhasstyle.com/2014/11/26/the-gant-yale-co-op-shirt/ |title=The Gant Yale Co-Op Shirt |publisher=The Man Has Style |first=Sarah |last=Crawford |date=25 November 2014 |access-date=17 June 2016}} Shirts from Gant and rival Sero were de rigueur for high-school and college-age males who could afford their premium price during the decade. In 1968, the Gant brothers sold the company to Consolidated Foods but remained with the company.{{Cite web |url=http://www.sportswear-international.com/news/pages/protected/Co-founder-of-Gant-Elliot-Gant-has-died_10455.html |title=Co-Founder of Gant Elliot Gant Has Died |publisher=Sportswear International |first=Melanie |last=Gropler |date=18 March 2016 |access-date=17 June 2016}} In 1971, the company launched its first sportswear line and in 1974 launched its Rugger brand.{{Cite web |url=http://us.fashionmag.com/news/Gant-Co-Founder-Elliot-Gant-passes-away-at-89,671223.html#.VzSPh_krLIU |title=Gant Co-Founder Elliot Gant Passes Away at 89 |publisher=FashionMag |first=Obi |last=Anyanwu |date=17 March 2016 |access-date=17 June 2016}} In 1979, Gant became a subsidiary of apparel manufacturer The Palm Beach Company and ceased operations in New Haven.

In the early 1980s, Gant entered the international market when Pyramid Sportswear of Sweden was given the right to design and market Gant outside the US. Initially, Pyramid only offered the Gant label in Sweden but quickly expanded internationally. In February 1995 the first Gant store opened in Europe in Amsterdam; it is currently the oldest operating Gant store in the world. In 1995, Phillips-Van Heusen acquired the Gant brand in the U.S. from bankrupt sportswear manufacturer, Crystal Brands, Inc.{{Cite web |url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/crystal-brands-inc-history/ |title=Crystal Brands, Inc. History |publisher=Funding Universe |access-date=17 June 2016}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/phillips-van-heusen-corporation-history/ |title=Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation History |publisher=Funding Universe |access-date=17 June 2016}} In 1997, Gant opened its first store in the United States.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/19/nyregion/metro-business-for-american-chain-its-first-us-store.html |title=Metro Business; For American Chain, Its First U.S. Store |work=The New York Times |first=Lisa |last=Foderaro |date=19 November 1997 |access-date=17 June 2016}} Phillips-Van Heusen sold its Gant operations in 1999 to Pyramid Sportswear of Sweden for $71 million.{{Cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1999/02/24/pyramid-partners-collar-gant-phillips-van-heusen-corp/ |title=Pyramid Partners Collar Grant: Phillips-Van Heusen Corp... |work=The Chicago Tribune |date=24 February 1999 |access-date=17 June 2016}}

In the spring of 2006, Gant became a public company and was listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange's O-List;{{Cite web |url=http://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-2006-03/artikel-6198394.asp |title=OMX: Gant Ready for Listing on the Nordic Exchange in Stockholm |publisher=Finanz Nachrichten |date=28 March 2006 |access-date=17 June 2016}} it was delisted 20 March 2008{{Cite web |url=http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/delisting-of-gant-825028.htm |title=Delisting of Gant |publisher=MarketWired |date=25 February 2008 |access-date=17 June 2016}} upon being acquired by the Swiss retail group Maus Frères.{{Cite web |url=http://www.retail-week.com/maus-fr232res-acquires-gant/574281.fullarticle |title=Maus Frères acquires Gant |work=Retail Week |first=Amy |last=Shields |date=1 February 2008 |access-date=17 June 2016 |archive-date=21 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821111225/https://www.retail-week.com/maus-fr232res-acquires-gant/574281.fullarticle |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/33608f34-cf73-11dc-854a-0000779fd2ac.html |title=Maus Frères Acquires Gant |work=Financial Times |first=David |last=Ibison |date=30 January 2008 |access-date=17 June 2016}} In November 2010, Gant returned to New Haven, where it opened a retail store.

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.gant.co.uk Gant United Kingdom]
• [https://www.gant.se Gant Sweden]
• [https://www.gant.com Gant USA]
• [https://nl.gant.com Gant Netherlands]
• [https://fr.gant.com Gant France]
• [https://fi.gant.com Gant Finland]
• [https://dk.gant.com Gant Denmark]
• [https://www.gant.ae Gant United Arab Emirates]

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Category:Clothing brands

Category:1949 establishments in Connecticut

Category:1999 mergers and acquisitions

Category:Clothing brands of the United States

Category:Clothing retailers of the United States

Category:Clothing companies established in 1949

Category:Retail companies established in 1949

Category:Companies based in Stockholm

Category:Clothing brands of Stockholm

Category:Clothing retailers of Sweden