The Original Ben Sherman: Since 1963
50 Years of Ben Sherman
This year Ben Sherman celebrates its 50th anniversary. Since 1963, Ben Sherman has been the first and last word in classic, mod shirts and British styling. Autumn and Winter 2013 sees a mini-relaunch of the brand, with new clean, black and white branding and heritage styled leather tabs to the shirts and other styles in the collection. Also, to celebrate, Ben Sherman have reissued several archive print fabrics as both long and short sleeve shirts, including florals, paisleys and Retro prints - these are sure to sell out quickly, so make sure you pick your fave up as soon as you can!
Ben Sherman: A History of Modernism
An icon of fashion and a portrait in style, the Ben Sherman Button Down Shirt has defined a generation.
Born in 1925 in Brighton, England, Arthur Benjamin Sugarman, emigrated to the US in his early twenties, where he embarked upon a career in clothing manufacture, working for his father-in-law. While in America, he decided to change his name - firstly from Arthur to Ben (what his friends and family called him anyway) and from Sugarman to the more American sounding Sherman, as he was trying to gain US citizanship. However, fate was to throw a spanner in the works. When his mother became ill, the newly monikered Ben Sherman found himself back in the UK and back in Brighton. Using the experience he'd gained in his time in the US he opend his first factory in Brighton and the designed the first Ben Sherman Shirt in 1963.
Observing the demand for clean cut Oxford Shirts that typified the American 'Ivy' Look, Ben Sherman set about revolutionising the way we wear shirts in Britain. From his Brighton Shirt Factory, Ben Sherman re-engineered the casual button down and created a garment that is so versatile, so stylish and so Ben Sherman. Importing high quality fabrics via his contact in the US, Ben Sherman began styling Oxford Shirts in pale pink, yellow, and blue and bright candy stripes. This burst of colour didn't go down all that well at first in the conservative society of the early sixties, but Ben Sherman perservered and the shirts soon caught the eye of the Mods, who were attracted to the shirts clean cut styling and Americana Ivy League look. As the sixties went on, Ben Sherman became a staple of the Swingin' Sixties fashion scene, taking it's place in a Carnaby Street showroom, as well as stand alone stores in Brighton and two more in London; under the name 'Millions Of Shirts Inc. Ltd'. The shirts flew out. As quickly as Ben Sherman could make them, people were snapping them up. Legend has it that by 1970 Ben Sherman was ordering a million yards of Oxford fabric, a quarter of a million of gingham fabric and a quarter of a million yards of colourful stripe fabric - that makes a lot of shirts!
Five decades later and Ben Sherman has grown into a full range with the Shirt still at it's heart. Whether it's Vintage and Retro Clothing that's your bag, or perhaps Indie fashion or even Sixties Mod Clothing - the era that Ben Sherman is now synonymous with, you are bound to be familiar with the iconic button down. The Ben Sherman Button Down Shirt will doubtless feature in your wardrobe somewhere - in the traditional Oxford, checked patterns or even a Psychedelic Paisley - short collar, classic collar and rounded collars - the Ben Sherman button down is available in styles to suit everyone.
Ben Sherman: Classics & Must Have Pieces
The Original Ben Sherman Shirt
If you only own one shirt in your life, then you'd better make it a Ben Sherman Shirt! Each season Ben Sherman design and make many different style of shirt in plain fabric, checks, stripes and Retro prints - something to suit everyone - but these are the Ben Sherman classics - the famous shirts which define Ben Sherman.
The Ben Sherman Oxford Shirt
The first shirt ever designed and made by Ben Sherman was an Oxford shirt. Importing fabrics from the USA, these fine quality, exquisitely made, brightly coloured shirts in pale pinks, yellows, blues and reds quickly caught the imagingation of first The Teds, and then the Mods. Clean, stylish and sharp, the Oxford Shirt is still at the heart of the Ben Sherman range, available each season in a variety of colours, styles and fits.
Click here for the current range of Ben Sherman Oxford Shirts
The Ben Sherman Gingham Shirt
Possibly eclipsing even the Oxford Shirt, the Ben Sherman Gingham Shirt should be next on your list of must-haves! A staple style of the sixties, the Gingham Shirt became the shirt of chioce for Mods in the Seventies; the Mod revivalists and punks of the late Seventies and early Eighties. The Ben Sherman Gingham Shirt, like the Oxford, is available each season in many colours - not just your classic black/white, red/white and navy/white, but also in colour combinations from your wildest dreams!
Click here for the current range of Ben Sherman Gingham Shirts.
The Ben Sherman House Check Shirt
Looking for something a little more special than the classic Gingham Shirt? Then the Ben Sherman House Check Shirt is for you! A classic Mod Red/White/Navy check - this is Ben Sheman's 'House' check - the pattern which defines and encapsulates the brand, as well as appearing as it's own shirt, pops up in Ben Sherman linings and trims too, tying the whole collection together. Special seasonal colours are available from each collection ensuring the Ben Sherman House Shirt is always fresh, smart and devastatingly Modern.
Click here for the current range of Ben Sherman House Check Shirts
The Ben Sherman Harrington Jacket
The Harrington Jacket - a Mod staple and a Ben Sherman classic for as long as anyone can remember (well, okay, for the 50 years Ben Sherman has been around!) The Harrington really needs no introduction. Originally designed as a light, short rain jacket - because you need something to keep your smart Ben Sherman Shirts dry - the Harrington has endured as the Mod jacket of choice. Ben Sherman's take on the classic Harrington Jacket features the Ben Sherman check lining, classic collar feature and a flat finished reverse. Like the Shirts, the Harrington will be available every season in fresh, new colours as well as the classics and in new styles and fits too.
Click here for the current range of Ben Sherman Harrington Jackets
The Ben Sherman Polo Shirt
Not every day is a shirt day. Some days, you just want to go casual - but you've got to keep that Mod style and classic clean look - so throw on your Ben Sherman polo and casual has never looked so smart! The Ben Sherman Romford polo is Ben Sherman's classic style, but lots more patterned, striped, checked and plain polos are styled every season in pique cottons, jersey fabrics and knits. As with the shirts, the Ben Sherman polo has a style to suit everyone's taste. We highly recommend you check out the Ben Sherman Striped Knitted Polos, as well as the Romford and new Reno Polo - or else just browse the extensive range here!
For the full range of Original Ben Sherman Shirts available at Atom Retro Clothing Click Here
