Haggar Clothing

Haggar Clothing
Founded1926, Dallas, Texas
FounderJoseph M. Haggar
Headquarters
Dallas, Texas, USA
Number of locations
80 (2019)[1]
Key people
  • President & CEO
  • Michael Stitt (2012-present)[2]
  • Paul Buxbaum (2009-2012)[3]
  • Terry Lay (2007-2009)[3][4]
  • Jim Lewis (2005-2007)[4][5]
  • Joe Haggar III & Frank Bracken (??-2005)[5]
ProductsMen's clothing
OwnerRanda Accessories (2019-present)
Perseus LLC, Pou Chen (2005-2019)
Haggar family (1926-2005)
Number of employees
1,400 (2019)[1]
Websitewww.haggar.com

Haggar Clothing is a Dallas, Texas-based menswear brand[1] sold in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. In addition to its outlet stores (which have all been closed), Haggar clothing is sold at retailers such as Macy's, Target, and Belk and its labels include Kenneth Cole men's apparel.[1] Haggar supplies exclusive induction jackets for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame.[6][7][8]

Haggar was acquired by Randa Accessories in 2019.[9]

History

Joseph Marion Haggar, Sr. (1892–1987), an immigrant from Jezzine, Lebanon, moved to Dallas in 1921.[10] He worked as a traveling overalls salesman for several years before establishing his own company in 1926 in a one-room office with four employees and two sewing machines.[10][11][12] Within two years, he had 500 employees manufacturing 75,000 pairs of pants each year.[12] His son Ed Haggar started working in the family business at 14 years old and later published a book, 'Big Ed Haggar' and the Family Behind an Apparel Giant (2001), about his experience working in his father's shop with his siblings Joe Jr. and Rosemary.[13] By 1938, Ed Haggar was working as a full-time salesman and returned after serving in World War II as a captain.[13] Haggar factories ran 24 hours a day to supply an adequate amount of clothing for the military; by the end of the war, more than ten million garments had been produced. By the end of the 1940s, Haggar was the largest producer and marketer of slacks in the world and Ed Haggar had moved from his role as vice president to president, where he stayed until 1971.[13]

Since the 1940s, the company has inaccurately claimed to have coined the word slacks to reflect their use during "leisurely 'slack time'".[14] Slacks referring to pants are recorded in the Oxford English Dictionary and Online Etymology Dictionary as dating back to 1824, originally to refer to military clothing.[15][16][14] They may, however, have popularized the word in the United States. Haggar's pre-cuffed slacks were a major seller in the 1940s as they no longer required alterations from a tailor after purchase.[13] Claims that Haggar created the first pre-cuffed pants are oftentimes alongside those attributing the etymology of slacks to the company, meaning that while it is reported, its accuracy is unclear.[17][12]

During the 1950s, Haggar became the first menswear brand to advertise on national television[18] when their ad aired during the Today Show. Mickey Mantle signed with the company in 1954 to appear in their advertisements, starting with the "first wrinkle-free pants," which were marketed as wash 'n' wear slacks.[12][19][10] Haggar continued to improve this line and released another version in 1965.[10] By 1968, they also introduced double knit slacks, an innovation that D Magazine reported "pushed the company to become the No. 1 pants brand in America."[10][12][20] In August 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered six pairs of Haggar slacks over the phone from Joe Haggar, Jr., after receiving a pair as a gift from Joe Haggar, Sr. In the phone call, Johnson requested a couple of modifications "down where your nuts hang" on each of his slacks, noting his current pants were, "Like riding a wire fence"[21][22]

During the 1970s, the brand grew to include sports coats and vests and were the first to introduce separates that allowed customers to purchase jackets and pants independent of each other.[18] In 1971, the company also released the Haggar Hanger, a clothes hanger that allowed pants to be hung rather than folded on a table. A women's line of apparel was introduced in 1984.[10] By 1987, the company employed 7,000 people at six plants in the United States, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic.[10] During the 1980s, Haggar became the first apparel company to use EDI technology[18] and to use UPC to ticket merchandise. In 1987, Haggar received a patent for the size strip sticker.

Haggar's 100% cotton wrinkle-free pants hit the shelves in 1992. Haggar filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 1995.[23] David Perdue joined the company in 1998 and as senior vice president began outsourcing much of the work.[24][25] That year, the company had a net income of $8 million and $402.5 million worth of sales and acquired the dress company Jerell.[26] Perdue became CEO of the company in 2001.[24][27] The last major introductions before the Haggar family sold the company were the addition of moisture-wicking fabrics and pants with self-adjusting waistbands in 2002. In 2005, Perseus, LLC and part of the Pou Chen Group purchased the company for $212 million.[12][13] Prior to this acquisition, Haggar "had an annual revenue of just under $500 million."[12] These sales dropped when its women's lines and private labels were sold off.[12] In 2013, Haggar reported about 700 total employees, 170 of which worked at the headquarters in Dallas.[12] They acquired Tribal Sportswear in 2013 and Kizan International, Inc. in 2018.[11][28] By 2019, Haggar had 1,400 employees worldwide, including 400 in Dallas, and was named the "No. 1 selling dress pant[s] brand in the U.S." by The NPD Group.[1]

Haggar was acquired by Randa Accessories on May 31, 2019.[9]

As of 2021, Haggar clothing is available in more than 10,000 stores and online.[9]

In media

Athletics

Haggar has a long-standing relationship with American athletic organizations and have featured a number of athletes in its advertising throughout the years. The MLB was represented by Mickey Mantle, whose sponsorship lasted from 1954 to the 1960s, Eddie Mathews, and Robin Roberts.[29][19][30][8][18][31] PGA athletes included Arnold Palmer, Dow Finsterwald, and Doug Ford.[32][30][18][33] Bobby Layne from the NFL also appeared.[30]

Haggar began supplying the Pro Football Hall of Fame's iconic gold jacket in 1978.[6] According to the NFL, the gold color is "hand-dipped for Haggar" and the only changes in the nearly 45 years of production are the wool used and the addition of a small amount of red to make the color look better on camera.[34][7] Hall inductees are given a jacket made with their exact measurements. As of 2021, 354 jackets have been awarded.[35] They began making induction jackets for the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012 and for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.[8][7] The first NHL jacket went to Dallas Stars center Mike Modano.[7] Haggar also makes induction jackets for the United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame.[8]

During the 1975 World Championship Tennis (WCT) regular season, Rod Laver and Arthur Ashe criticized newcomer Jimmy Connors' breakout success. Connors offered to buy them "'a pair of Haggars' to soothe the[ir] wounds," a reference to the WCT top regular season prize from Haggar. According to Haggar, he was the first WCT player to mention the company. "I'm sending Connors a dozen pair," an official joked. "What's his waist size?"[36]

Television and film

John Travolta (1971), Super Dave Osborne (1990s), Steve Martin (1973), Howard Hesseman (1973), and Gene Barry all appeared in advertisements for Haggar Clothing.[37][38][39][40] In 1998 episode of The Simpsons, Krusty the Clown mentions stealing a pair of Haggar slacks.[41] In Season 2 of Frisky Dingo the presidential debate is hosted by Haggar slacks.[42] This culminates in a giant statue of Hagar slacks falling and killing a character.[43]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Halkias, Maria (May 7, 2019). "Dallas' Haggar Clothing Co is sold to New York's Randa Accessories". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  2. ↑ Lipke, David (April 16, 2012). "Haggar Clothing Co. Taps Michael Stitt as CEO". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  3. 1 2 Karr, Arnold J. (March 20, 2009). "Paul Buxbaum, New Haggar CEO". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Thomas, Brenner (November 5, 2007). "New Haggar CEO lays out strategy". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  5. 1 2 "Haggar Corp. names new CEO". Midland Reporter-Telegram. November 1, 2005. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  6. 1 2 "Class of 2020 Gets First Look at Their Gold Jackets". Pro Football Hall of Fame. 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Brown, Travis L. (September 5, 2014). "Modano checks in at 42-long for Hall jacket". Star-Telegram. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Kezar, Korri (April 7, 2014). "Basketball's greatest will enter hall of fame wearing Haggar jackets". Dallas Business Journal. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  9. 1 2 3 Halkias, Maria (May 18, 2021). "Men coming out of the pandemic a different size are lifting sales at Haggar Clothing". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Obituaries : Joseph Haggar; Founder of Apparel Firm". The Los Angeles Times. December 17, 1987. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  11. 1 2 Asch, Andrew. "Haggar Acquires Louis Raphael". Apparel News. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Korosec, Thomas (November 15, 2013). "At Haggar, Everything Old is New Again". D Magazine. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 Saxon, Wolfgang (October 1, 2004). "E.R. Haggar, Clothing Maker, Dies at 88". The New York Times. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  14. 1 2 Zimmer, Ben (April 26, 2010). "Corporate etymologies". The New York Times. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  15. ↑ "slack". Online Etymology Dictionary. n.d. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  16. ↑ "The Difference between Slacks, Pants and Trousers". Linguaholic. September 21, 2020. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  17. ↑ Courtney, David (August 12, 2021). "The Texanist: Is It Okay to Wear Cowboy Boots With Cuffed Trousers?". Texas Monthly. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 Ellett, John (June 18, 2014). "CMO Of Haggar Bets On Vintage Fashion To Revitalize The Brand". Forbes. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
  19. 1 2 Sandomir, Richard (November 10, 2003). "BASEBALL; Mantle's Family Decides to Sell Some Treasures". The New York Times. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  20. ↑ Spiegel, Joy (1978). That Haggar Man. Random House. ISBN 978-0-394-50045-4.
  21. ↑ "President Johnson orders pants from Joe Haggar". American Public Media. August 9, 1964. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  22. ↑ Smith, Sonia (January 21, 2013). "Joe Haggar, Who Once Took LBJ's Pants Order, Dies". Texas Monthly. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Haggar Files For Bankruptcy". AP News. January 26, 1995. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  24. 1 2 McCaffrey, Shannon (May 3, 2014). "David Perdue's business record mixed". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  25. ↑ Sarlin, Benjy (October 3, 2014). "David Perdue: 'I spent most of my career' working on outsourcing". MSNBC. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  26. ↑ "HAGGAR TO BUY JERRELL, RELAUNCH WOMEN'S". Women's Wear Daily. December 21, 1998. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  27. ↑ "Former U.S. Senator David Perdue is running for governor of Georgia". Fox 28. December 5, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  28. ↑ Cohen, Michael (June 22, 2017). "Four decades in Montreal: Tribal Sportswear thriving once again". The Suburban. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  29. ↑ "Double Dad's summer wardrobe with HAGGAR slacks". LIFE. June 8, 1953. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  30. 1 2 3 Eisenhauer, Kelly (December 2, 2009). "Mantle Series Part XII: Display Ads Part III". Sports Collectors Digest. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  31. ↑ "Eddie Mathews doubles his summer wardrove with HAGGAR slacks". LIFE. April 5, 1954. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  32. ↑ "Big hit with Doug Ford... Haggar wash and wear slacks". LIFE. April 28, 1958. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  33. ↑ "Haggar Automatic Wash & Wear Slacks". LIFE. June 1, 1959. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  34. ↑ Battista, Judy (August 1, 2014). "Pro Football Hall of Fame's gold jacket stands as strong symbol". National Football League. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  35. ↑ Halkias, Maria (July 30, 2021). "Dallas-based Haggar takes pride in making Pro Football Hall of Fame's iconic gold jackets". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  36. ↑ Kirkpatrick, Curry (April 28, 1975). "COOL WARMUP FOR JIMBO". Sports Illustrated. p. 58. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  37. ↑ McKittrick, Chris (February 18, 2015). "Watch John Travolta in a 1971 Commercial for $13 Pants". Daily Actor. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  38. ↑ "The New Wrinkle in Men's Trousers : Innovation: They're promised to be smooth no matter what, and they're cotton . We tried them at home. The results? Well, don't lose that iron". LA Times. October 15, 1993. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  39. ↑ Loomis, Erik (January 30, 2022). "LGM FILM CLUB, PART 245: HAGGAR POLYESTER SLACKS". Lawyers Guns & Money. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  40. ↑ "Gene Barry dies at 90; star of 'Bat Masterson' and co-star of 'La Cage aux Folles'". LA Times. December 11, 2009. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  41. ↑ "The Last Temptation of Krust". The Simpsons. Season 9. Episode 15. February 22, 1998. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  42. ↑ "Watch Full Episodes of Frisky Dingo Now on AdultSwim.com". Adult Swim. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
  43. ↑ "Watch Full Episodes of Frisky Dingo Now on AdultSwim.com". Adult Swim. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
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