GANT used to be a Swedish brand, but now it is a Swiss clothing brand of American heritage launched in New Haven in 1949. The brand is one of the major European influence is clothing industry and includes clothes for men, women, boys, girls and babies. Brand’s divisions (under license) are Home, Time, Fragrance, Footwear, Underwear and Eyewear. In 2008, Maus Frères S.A. of Switzerland, had acquired 95.6 % of the Gant Company AB shares.The house was founded by Bernard Gant, an immigrant from Ukraine. He soon became a well-known tailor in Manhattan and later on, his sons, Marty and Elliot, along with a cousin, started a family business in New Haven, CT, and started manufacturing shirts.The business blossomed and they sold fine shirts to respected private labels in America. In 1947 a small “G” sitting next to the union on the shirt was added in order to show the manufacturer.Gant shirts were a hit among American male students in the early and mid 1960s. Gant’s initial customer was the Paul Stuart store in New York City. The first shirts created offered button-down collars with sportswear fabrics and were sold well in college shops all over the USA. The Gant approach was to sell through the most prestigious store in town and sales took off quickly. Gant became known as a designer label in the US, and the first shops were opened in several department stores across the country. The Gant family sold the business in 1967. Ever since then, the company has changed owners. In 1980/1981, Gant entered the international market when Pyramid Sportswear of Sweden was given the right to design and market the Gant brand outside the U.S. As of 2007, Gant brand can be found in 73 countries and their products are available at select retailers and 298 Gant stores worldwide, 18 of which are directly operated by Gant AB. The Gant fashion collections are subdivided into the main line G.N.H. (Gant New Haven), the younger RUGGER sportswear line and the more trendy 'GANT By Michael Bastian' collection. The 'Yale Co-op' line offers some classic Yale shirts. Gant have also a Kids line, as well as Home, Fragrance, Eyewear and Time. Designer Gant has 11 perfumes in our fragrance base. The earliest edition was created in 2005 and the newest is from 2025. Gant fragrances were made in collaboration with perfumers Leonardo Lucheze, Pierre Wulff, Jérôme Epinette, Nicolas Beaulieu, Richard Herpin and Frank Voelkl. more...
