A ’47 Tip of the Cap
Perhaps the familiar “Throwback Thursday” (#tbt) social media craze is actually a poetic verse in an evolving digital rhetoric — recited each week, the same way we mumble through the lyrics to Auld Lang Syne every New Year’s Eve. Interestingly, and probably unknown to millions of users of the hashtag, #tbt began in the fashion world, as sneaker head Matt Halfhill used to post a weekly photo to his site, nicekicks.com, of old shoes he liked.
Though nostalgia isn’t reserved for a day of the week or a time of the year, the holidays always seem like a great time for reminiscing. It wasn’t easy, but we picked five exciting throwback moments from 2015 to recap and share.
’47 REBRAND
The name may have changed slightly, but ’47’s identity certainly hasn’t. Every time we see the ’47 mark, we’re reminded of the year 1947, when two young immigrant brothers set out to make the American dream happen for themselves and built this company from the ground up.
After over sixty years in business, ’47 knows it is best to keep things simple. No bullshit. This year we said goodbye to the “Brand” in “’47 Brand” in order to focus on the most significant, identifiable element: ’47 — a short, sweet mark to show our consumers who we are, and a constant reminder of how we got here.
FASHION TRIFECTA: SUPREME X NYY X ’47
In 1994, James Jebbia opened a skater friendly shop in NYC that would eventually evolve into Supreme: a global phenomenon for fashion hype, exclusive drops and probably one of the best examples you could use to explain “supply and demand” to a friend.
On March 12, the New York Yankees and Supreme united with ’47 for an epic drop that merged the brands for one premium sports lifestyle line. The hype was real and the power of collaboration with such impactful partners was exhilarating. This limited collection was only available in stores and completely sold out in one day.
THROWBACK TO THE BLACK FIVES ERA
Until the 1940s, amidst a very racially charged America, black and white athletes were separated into respective basketball leagues. Though the product of a very unfortunate reality, the Black Fives Era represents a time when black athletes prospered in the face of adversity. The NBA finally closed the divide in the ’50’s.
In 2015, we had the honor of partnering with the Black Fives Organization to help tell their story. ’47 created headwear and apparel, inspired by authentic designs, for boutiques in six regions of the U.S. where teams were from. Great news: we still have some pieces from the collection available here.
CAPE COD ON-FIELD MILESTONE
’47 has been selling licensed goods for decades. 2015 marked an exciting milestone when we partnered to create our first on-field fitted caps (the ’47 PRO) for teams in the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL). Cleveland Indians second baseman; Jason Kipnis helped ’47 feel and capture the passion of players rising in the ranks of baseball. His story included memories as a player for CCBL team, the Cotuit Kettleers.
686 X ’47 WINTER GEAR COLLAB
In August, ’47 decided to raise the bar when it comes to winter and joined forces with 686, a brand committed to creating the most technical gear for mountain-goers. ’47 and 686 came up with a combined line to change the game by adding familiar college insignias to innovative snow gear.
At ’47, we feel a certain throwback spirit alive and well year-round. Whether we’re telling our brand story or simply observing consumer trends like classic hat styles and a demand for vintage-inspired graphics. Here’s hoping that 2016 is filled with opportunity, collaboration and more meaningful connections with our community. 2015, we tip our caps to you.
