WONDERFUL VINTAGE 1960s Madras Sack jacket by h.i.s.!
"h.i.s." is one of the best-known menswear labels produced by Honesdale Manufacturing, a company founded by Harvey I. Siegal in 1923. Headquartered in New York but with its manufacturing plants in Tennessee, Honesdale originally focused on clothes, especially denim, for men and boys. Much of its output was sold as own-brand clothing by stores such as Penney's and Montgomery Ward. (Remember, this was the era when clothing from Department stores was actually still *good*!)
In 1949 the firm was taken over by Harvey's son, Jesse, who started to move it away from its utilitarian, Depression-era focus and towards more fashionable clothing. In 1956 Jesse started the label "h.i.s"--an obvious reference to his father's initials.
The h.i.s. label was a runaway success, with much of its items being modeled on the increasingly popular Ivy Style of clothing. By 1964 Honesdale's revenue was a whopping $64 million a year, with over 3/4 of that being generated by the h.i.s. brand.
The company went public in 1962, with Jesse retaining a controlling interest. In 1976 he took the firm private again, in part to deflect objections to his decision to focus on the women's wear part of the business which was booming with the success of "h.i.s. for Her" jeans. In 1984 the company was subject to a leveraged buy-out by its management, who turned its attention back to its roots--manufacturing basic denim products. The company is still in business as "Chic for HIS", and is now one of the largest jeans manufacturers in the US.
This jacket hails from the 1960s heyday of h.i.s., when it focused on collegiate Ivy style. Cut from gossamer-light Indian madras fabric that's a wonderful classic medly of blues, creams, and sepia summer yellows, this jacket is as a sack--judging by the lapel likely a 3 button sack, rather than a 3/2. it is clearly designed to be worn at the height of summer--not only is the madras fabric some of the lightest I've ever encountered, but it's quarter-lined... and has only one interior pocket, to ensure that the additional material needed to support two interior pockets could be left out making this jacket even lighter-weight.
It has a single center vent, classic two button cuffs, and was made in one of h.i.s. three factories in Tennessee. It has extremely natural shoulders. The golden decoration around the h.i.s. logo in the interior is a clear nod to the mirror filigree logo of Chipp, and indicates the aspirations that h.i.s. and its customers had!
This wonderful piece of sartorial history is in excellent condition, and utterly wearable. It's a bargain at just $49, or offer, boxed and shipped in the USA. International inquiries welcome, with shipping at reduced cost!
Please PM with interest and offers!
Measurements:
Chest: 20 1/4
Sleeve: 26 (+2)
Shoulder: 18 1/2
Length: 32
"h.i.s." is one of the best-known menswear labels produced by Honesdale Manufacturing, a company founded by Harvey I. Siegal in 1923. Headquartered in New York but with its manufacturing plants in Tennessee, Honesdale originally focused on clothes, especially denim, for men and boys. Much of its output was sold as own-brand clothing by stores such as Penney's and Montgomery Ward. (Remember, this was the era when clothing from Department stores was actually still *good*!)
In 1949 the firm was taken over by Harvey's son, Jesse, who started to move it away from its utilitarian, Depression-era focus and towards more fashionable clothing. In 1956 Jesse started the label "h.i.s"--an obvious reference to his father's initials.
The h.i.s. label was a runaway success, with much of its items being modeled on the increasingly popular Ivy Style of clothing. By 1964 Honesdale's revenue was a whopping $64 million a year, with over 3/4 of that being generated by the h.i.s. brand.
The company went public in 1962, with Jesse retaining a controlling interest. In 1976 he took the firm private again, in part to deflect objections to his decision to focus on the women's wear part of the business which was booming with the success of "h.i.s. for Her" jeans. In 1984 the company was subject to a leveraged buy-out by its management, who turned its attention back to its roots--manufacturing basic denim products. The company is still in business as "Chic for HIS", and is now one of the largest jeans manufacturers in the US.
This jacket hails from the 1960s heyday of h.i.s., when it focused on collegiate Ivy style. Cut from gossamer-light Indian madras fabric that's a wonderful classic medly of blues, creams, and sepia summer yellows, this jacket is as a sack--judging by the lapel likely a 3 button sack, rather than a 3/2. it is clearly designed to be worn at the height of summer--not only is the madras fabric some of the lightest I've ever encountered, but it's quarter-lined... and has only one interior pocket, to ensure that the additional material needed to support two interior pockets could be left out making this jacket even lighter-weight.
It has a single center vent, classic two button cuffs, and was made in one of h.i.s. three factories in Tennessee. It has extremely natural shoulders. The golden decoration around the h.i.s. logo in the interior is a clear nod to the mirror filigree logo of Chipp, and indicates the aspirations that h.i.s. and its customers had!
This wonderful piece of sartorial history is in excellent condition, and utterly wearable. It's a bargain at just $49, or offer, boxed and shipped in the USA. International inquiries welcome, with shipping at reduced cost!
Please PM with interest and offers!
Measurements:
Chest: 20 1/4
Sleeve: 26 (+2)
Shoulder: 18 1/2
Length: 32
