100 Years of New Era

This year, on the occasion of the centenary, New Era will launch some special collections, with new designs, collaborations and reinterpretations of hats and classic clothing through international partnerships with legendary fashion brands such as Helmut Lang, Yohji Yamamoto, Levi's and Havaianas, visual artists such as Daniel Arsham, a furniture and watch brand.

Behind these recent collaborations, however, there is a hundred-year history in which four generations of the Koch family have followed, which began the production of Gatsby-style hats in the city of Buffalo in 1920. Only fourteen years later, with the decrease in sales of walking hats and with the increasing demand for baseball caps, Ehrhardt Koch began with the manufacture of the latter, intended mainly for the Cleveland Indians.

The first turning point came in 1954 when, inspired by the military tradition in which hats were considered in all respects part of the uniform, Harold Koch - son of Ehrhardt - invented a new tailored fit, the iconic 59FIFTY, a must-have worn by most professional athletes who have changed the history of sport to the present day. A decade later New Era became the only headwear retailer brand for all MLB teams, thus sanctioning a rapid growth in this particular market sector.

In 1972, David, grandson of the founder, took over the reins of the company, continuing that process of expansion that his ancestors had begun: in twenty years, both due to the change of stylistic course, and with successful marketing moves, New Era managed to enter the NFL market before and in the NBA market a little later, also helped by testimonials of excellence, including Spike Lee, who made baseball hat one of his own trademarks.

In 1997 the new logo was launched, the ''flag'', which continues to the present day on the left side of all the Buffalo hats, at the same time as the silver sticker usually placed at the bottom of the visor, useful to help the consumer. to find your size faster. From this moment the administrative bases have been geolocated for the whole world: Toronto, London, Tokyo, Cologne, Hong Kong, Paris, Seoul, Sao Paulo, Melbourne, Mexico City, Barcelona, Bologna and Shanghai, a network so vast and dense to be able to absorb most of the sports and communities all over the world.

For the hundredth anniversary, New Era intends to celebrate these historic moments and illuminate the future of the brand through special products, marketing initiatives, exhibitions and digital content.

“As a fourth generation owner it is a great honor to celebrate 100 years of New Era Cap and the heritage created by my grandfather Ehrhardt. After the humble beginnings in Buffalo, which we still proudly call our headquarters, the company has transformed from a small hat company to an international lifestyle brand that produces clothing and accessories", said Chris Koch, President and CEO of New Era. Chap. "We are very proud of our tradition and we are ready to face the next 100 years with enthusiasm".

During the centennial year, New Era will also collaborate with the Buffalo History Museum where a large-scale exhibition dedicated to the brand will take place. The exhibition, which will be inaugurated in Buffalo towards the end of autumn 2020, will present a series of unpublished artifacts from the brand's archives: over 150 pieces that recall the company's centennial history, from the first Gatsby to the first clothing collection.