Bernard Gantmacher arrived in
New York City in 1907, a
Jewish immigrant of Russian Empire 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. In 1927, the company was relocated to New Haven, Connecticut. In April 1949, the Gant label was launched. Following their father's death in 1955, Bernard's sons took over the company's operations. 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. In 1971, the company launched its first
sportswear line and in 1974 launched its Rugger brand. In 1979, Gant became a subsidiary of apparel manufacturer The Palm Beach Company and ceased operations in New Haven. In 1997, Gant opened its first store in the United States. Phillips-Van Heusen sold its Gant operations in 1999 to Pyramid Sportswear of Sweden for $71 million. In the spring of 2006, Gant became a
public company and was listed on the
Stockholm Stock Exchange's O-List; it was
delisted 20 March 2008 upon being acquired by the Swiss retail group
Maus Frères. In November 2010, Gant returned to New Haven, where it opened a retail store. == References ==