The GANT story began when a Ukrainian boy by the name of Berl Gantmacher set sail for a better life in America, arriving as a 17-year-old in 1907.
In between taking night classes at Columbia University's College of Pharmacy, he found work in the city's bustling garment industry, which taught him all about tailoring. He decided to go in to business for himself after graduating and founded the Par-Ex Shirt Company, which made shirts for other brands, with his partner, Morris Shapiro.
However, it was two of his children, Marty and Elliott, who would spur the company to great success. They saw that new kinds of art, music and fashion were spreading across the nation.
As a result, they convinced their father to sell perfectly tailored shirts under their own label and GANT Inc was born in 1949. When the Ivy League Look took New Haven, which was home to Yale University and GANT, and the country by storm with its relaxed style, Marty and Elliott saw that it dovetailed with what GANT were doing.
They began experimenting with shirts in different fabrics and styles, and added bold colours. They made the button down shirt their own and also launched women's shirts. The 1960s saw the GANT shirt become a sensation at the Yale Co-op campus store as the Ivy League Look exploded.
Soon, the button down shirt was to be found across the country as it was seen as an essential item for the stylish American man of the 1950s and 60s. The 1970s, saw them produce their first collection of American sportswear, which included ties, trousers and rugger shirts, while the brand now has almost 600 stores worldwide.