The GANT Guide to a Good Shirt
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GANT pride themselves on being the ‘original shirtmakers’; obsessing over the details that go into creating a perfectly tailored and exceptionally stylish shirt, the brand has established itself as the leading designer of men’s and women’s shirting. Seeing the shirt as the most versatile item in a wardrobe has allowed GANT to build an entire collection based around this staple piece, taking influences from the structures and design details of the classic shirt to create a timeless and easy-to-wear range of clothing.
From small beginnings
The GANT story began with a young Ukrainian man who left the Russian Empire to find a better life in the USA aged just 17 years old. It was here, in New York’s Lower East Side, that Bernard Gantmacher (then Berl Gantmacher) discovered his entrepreneurial spirit, and went into business himself, making shirts for larger brands in Brooklyn. From this humble beginning, Gantmacher was encouraged by his sons to strike out on his own, and so began GANT Inc. in New Haven, Connecticut in 1949. Gantmacher’s sons Marty and Elliot later spurred on the success of GANT; using their business and marketing expertise, alongside their impeccable style and knowledge of the goings on at nearby Yale University, GANT changed the face of American style. After years of wearing plain white shirts that came in a standard fit, the GANT colour explosion and range of styles gave Americans a way to express their individuality through their clothing – something that was welcomed with open arms in the post-war era.
What makes a great shirt?
For GANT, it’s the blend of premium cotton and the meticulous attention to detail that ensures you look and feel fantastic in one of their shirts. From the perfect roll of a collar to the box pleat to the back of the shirt that allows the wearer comfort and ease of movement, every GANT shirt features a range of influential design details that give it that superior quality we know and love. It was even Elliot who patented the back collar button tab that kept ties in place and prevented them from riding up to maintain that classic Ivy League look that became synonymous with the GANT name. As GANT noticed a fashion for women to wear their partner’s shirts, they launched their first ever womenswear range with the slogan “For women GANT makes shirts, not blouses” highlighting the new direction women’s clothing was heading. Today, GANT shirts are still available in a range of colourful styles with all of the enviable design features that make the GANT shirt truly unique.