Ben Sherman Biography

Ben Sherman's Biography

The Original Ben Sherman Shirt

Ben Sherman was the Mod God. The man, who started making shirts in the late 1950’s from a small factory in Brighton, went on the dress the swinging Sixties & became the King of trend-setting Carnaby Street. Hungry for money and fame, he remained a party animal until the day he died in 1987. The 1960’s gave British youth more fashion, money & freedom than ever before. Working from small premises in Brighton, entrepreneurial shirt maker Ben Sherman saw his niche & founded the Ben Sherman Company in 1963.

Immediate demand fuelled fast growth in production and product innovation, in particular the development of a wide range of formal shirts packaged in the original distinctive black boxes with orange logo, sold across the UK, Europe and the USA. By 1968 the company had moved to Carnaby Street in London, and the Ben Sherman button Oxford shirt had become a status symbol. Demand overwhelmed the original factory, and in 1969 Ben Sherman established further production units in factories and converted ballrooms in Northern Ireland to cater for his ever growing market.

Between 1972 and 1975 the company saw a number of changes, as did Ben Sherman himself, who took off for life on the beach in Australia. Sherman was committed to the good life, and also to quality and fine tailoring. His shirts had certain unique features – a button down collar, a back pleat and loop – which are now instantly recognized Ben Sherman details. With renewed focus, and continued investment in design and marketing, Ben Sherman has since gone from strength to strength.

Enduring attitude

Ben Sherman has developed from its original roots as the status shirt brand, into a complete lifestyle brand. The most enduring British youth phenomenon since the teenager was invented, The Mod, adopted the brand as its style trademark. The Mod movement was always about everything a teenager aspires to be – stylish, smart, tough, streetwise, good-looking and popular. As true originals, the Mod’s became national and world news.

The media gave them the glamour of notoriety, the Police made them outlaws, and their parents were outraged by them. Youth, of course, embraced them, and the cult was born. Elements of Mod dress have been the starting point for most street styles, and for every revival, appropriation or reinvention of Mod fashion, one of the original references is always Ben Sherman, for its smart street style and attitude.

Ben Sherman Clothing & Accessories

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