No stranger to a fresh take on Ivy, I got mine 68 years ago arriving in Hanover, my freshman year at Dartmouth. J. Press currently revises its particulars for Gen Z via our Pennant Label collection that pays heed to past quality and taste standards while remaining open to the changing wardrobe requirements of our campus orbit.
Jim Fitzgerald, company vice president and New Haven managerial stalwart, filled me in on developments at our Yale campus headquarters. New Haven reunions brought back a raft of fans gobbling up Pennant Label Yale rugby shirts, sweats, Henleys, belts, zip-up jackets, hoodies and assorted bulldog goodies in endless supply.
Not to leave out our Harvard contingency we are ripe with Crimson Pennant gear prepping for the November 18 classic in the Yale Bowl.
Complete collegiate selections are also available at our Washington, DC emporium and Pennant Label 501 Madison Avenue NYC store featuring full ranges of other Ivies with several other schools in the mix.
Mr. Fitzgerald disclosed his New Haven Pennant Label best sellers. Besides college inscribed favorites, Navy Pepin Merino wool and cotton Hopsack blazers and lightweight Tweed jackets featuring a tailored trim fit. He shared with me insider co-ed favorites noting their India Madras and cotton Oxford button down trim fit shirts work on both sides of the aisle.
This tidbit brings back the memory of a conversation with my dad, Paul Press, when I entered the family business in 1959. “How do you explain the inordinate proportion of sales in size small Shaggy Dog Sweaters and 14”-32” OCBDs?”, I asked.
His answer, “Your Smith, Wellesley and Vassar girlfriends.” I should only have been so lucky, although I did marry one of the Smithies.
A cognitive emotional loop: August @harpersbazaar proclaims, “Fashion’s obsession with SOFTER and more UNDERSTATED—but no less LOFTY brand of luxury is in FULL FORCE for Fall.”
Thank you Harper’s Bazaar, J. Press Pennant got there first.
RICHARD PRESS
3 comments
Mr. Press: In case you haven’t heard, some say the preppy look is staging a major comeback. Here is a link (in the Wall Street Journal) announcing such a comeback: https://www.wsj.com/style/fashion/preppy-handbook-style-fashion-ca4ac4bc?mod=djem10point
Best,
Donald (a very long-time customer since my days in New Haven on the Yale faculty)
Always interesting material. Thanks.
Going off to DePauw in the fall of 1963 meant an authentic bleeding madras sport coat and a bottle green wool blazer from L.S.Ayres mens’ shop across the annex alley in Indianapolis—quite an adventure for a not-yet-eighteen year old pre-theological scholar!