Society Brand Clothes (originally and formally Alfred Decker & Cohn) was a leading manufacturer of men's suits, based in Chicago. The company was founded in 1902[1] by Alfred Decker and Abraham Cohn.[2] The company incorporated in 1919.[1] It was known for its Society Brand line of suits and came to do business under the name Society Brand Clothes.
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Consumer Goods |
| Founded | 1902 as Alfred Decker & Cohn |
| Defunct | 1952 |
| Headquarters | |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Alfred Decker (Chairman of the Board) (President) |
| Products | Men's clothing |
Number of employees | 2,200 (1930) |
After 1913, the company was located in the Alfred Decker & Cohn Building (subsequently known as the Society Brand Building) at 416 South Franklin Street in Chicago. The building was built in 1912-1913 by Graham, Anderson, Probst and White.[3]
The company advertised Society Brand extensively in posters, magazines and newspapers under the slogan For Young Men and Men who Stay Young.[4][5]
In 1919, the company started delivering some of its merchandise to retailers outside of Chicago via two dedicated Curtiss Jenny airplanes[6][7] that had the name "Society Brand Clothes" painted prominently on the fuselage.[7] Service included nearby cities in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.[6] Operations ceased in 1920.[8]
Society Brand Clothes was acquired by Hartmarx in 1952. Hartmarx continued the Society Brand line for at least 30 years.[9]
References
edit- ^ a b Moody's Industrial Manual. Moody's Investor Service. 1930.
- ^ Leonard, John William (1917). The book of Chicagoans : a biographical dictionary of leading living men and women of the city of Chicago (1905). Chicago: A.N. Marquis.
- ^ Chappell, Sally A Kitt (1992). Architecture and Planning of Graham, Anderson, Probst and White, 1912-1936: Transforming Tradition. University of Chicago Press. p. 94. ISBN 0226101347.
- ^ "A Cheerful Welcome for Fall (advertisement)". Collier's. 52: 3. October 4, 1913. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
- ^ Society Brand Clothes: For Young Men And Men Who Stay Young, New York Public Library Digital Collections, retrieved February 25, 2018
- ^ a b "Clothing Manufacturer Establishes Air Service to Retailers". Flying. 8. Flying Association, Incorporated: 634–635. August 1919.
- ^ a b Scamehorn, Howard Lee (2000). Balloons to Jets: A Century of Aeronautics in Illinois, 1855-1955. SIU Press. p. 208. ISBN 0-8093-2336-2.
- ^ Kent, Dave. "An Abridged History of Chicago Municipal Airport and Chicago Midway Airport" (PDF). Retrieved 15 July 2013.
- ^ Greenhouse, Steven (August 8, 1986). "Hartmarx's Road to Growth". The New York Times. Retrieved February 25, 2018.