Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Our Top Swedish Fashion Brands
Patrik Nilsson, CEO of GANT.
Preparing for the third chapter Original American lifestyle brand GANT comes with heaps of European sophistication for style-conscious consumers with an active lifestyle. More than 50 years since its beginnings, the brand is preparing for the next chapter in their success story – GANT 3.0. By Malin Norman | Photos: GANT
For GANT, it all started with shirts back in 1949. Founder Bernard Gantmacher came from Ukraine to Ellis Island, New York City, in 1907, with the hope of building his own American dream. He learned the craft of making shirts, built a business as a shirt contractor in New Haven, and eventually perfected the button-down shirts and brought them to the mass market. Students at universities on the East Coast were keen to dress in a casual yet elegant way, with the GANT shirt as the main staple. This style became known as the classic Ivy League look, mastering the art of never looking dressed-up but always well-dressed. These days, GANT 16 | Issue 99 | April 2017
offers menswear as well as womenswear, children’s clothing, home accessories, footwear, eyewear and watches. While the brand originates from America, the second part of the story involves Sweden. In 1980, Pyramid Sportswear of Sweden was given the right to design and market GANT outside the US and quickly grew the brand internationally. The company is still privately owned, with around 200 staff at the head office in Stockholm.
The next phase Now beginning its third chapter, GANT is aiming to reach the global market as the world’s leading lifestyle brand. The
plan is centred around consumers and innovation. CEO Patrik Nilsson explains: “Consumers are much more global these days, and ours are also very confident in their style. Many people are also conscious of sustainable fashion, and classic collections will never be out of style. Our mantra at GANT is ‘never stop learning’, and we want to bring another level of technical innovation that is relevant to our consumers.” As part of the plan, the brand recently launched Tech Prep, which is a new collection with innovative materials designed for an active lifestyle. The range of men’s shirts are quick-dry, breathable and wicking and, according to GANT, also suitable for modern-day challenges such as the playfully named For a Fast Commute, In Meeting Mayhem and The Desk-to-Dinner Dash. These timeless shirts are still preppy but more technical, hence the name Tech Prep.