London Fog (company)

London Fog is an American manufacturer of coats and other apparel. The company was founded in 1922 as the Londontown clothing company by Israel Myers.[1]

London Fog
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryTextile
Founded1923 (1923)
FounderIsrael Myers
Headquarters
Eldersburg, Maryland
,
USA
ProductsTrench coats, raincoats, jackets, parkas, handbags, umbrellas
ParentIconix Brand Group, Herman Kay Company
Websitelondonfog.com

Products manufactured by London Fog include trench coats, raincoats, jackets, parkas. Accessories include handbags and umbrellas.

History

During World War II the company was known for making waterproof clothing for the United States Navy. Following the war the company partnered with DuPont to make material for use in raincoats. These coats, which were the first to have a patented removable liner, were sold in Philadelphia, where they became very popular.[2]

Myers started experimenting with different fabrics in 1951, working with blends of cotton and polyester to help make a waterproof fabric.[2][3] London Fog introduced its first Maincoat and was found/sold in Saks Fifth Avenue in 1954, being one of the first companies to sell the raincoats and trench coats.[2] The coat originally sold for $29.95, and named as a "Maincoat" by Myers so it could be worn all year around.[2][3] The company went public in the 1960s. By the 1970s the company had its own stores and was manufacturing not only raincoats but also other types of clothes and accessories. At the time two-thirds of all raincoats sold in the United States were London Fog.[3] London Fog expanded internationally during the 1990s selling in places like the United Kingdom and China.

By 1976, Interco bought London Fog, then in a Wall Street take over, they leveraged a buyout that then pushed the company into bankruptcy in 1991. Ultimately the company was renamed to London Fog Inc.,[2]

The original location of the London Fog Factory was in the Meadow Mill area of Baltimore, Maryland. The factory was then moved to Eldersburg, Maryland, on Londontown Boulevard in 1976.[4]

In 1994, the company briefly left Eldersburg for Darien, Connecticut, but returned after less than a year.[5] London Fog had to file for bankruptcy protection in the fall of 1999, they also had to close over 100 stores.[6] In 2000, most of London Fog's offices moved to Seattle, Washington, although the distribution center in Eldersburg remained in operation until 2002.[7] London Fog Industries, was set to emerge from bankruptcy after shedding more than $100 million in debt in 2001.[8][6]

In 2006, London Fog was acquired by Iconix Brand Group, selling the outerwear division to Herman Kay Company.[9] Iconix Brand Group agreed to purchase the London Fog name for $30.5 million (cash) with an additional $7 million in stock.[10] At the time, executive vice president David Conn of Iconix had plans to market London Fog alongside Coach and Burberry.[10]

London Fog appears as a client of the fictional advertising agency, Sterling Cooper, in the season 3 premiere of Mad Men. In August 2010, Mad Men castmember Christina Hendricks was contracted as the new celebrity model for London Fog.[11]

Further reading
  • "London Fog". International Directory of Company Histories. Vol. 29. St. James Press. 1999. ISBN 9781558623880 – via Funding Universe.

References
  1. "London Fog preparing to emerge from bankruptcy". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
  2. Hansell, Saul (1999-12-31). "Israel Myers Is Dead at 93; Originated London Fog Coat". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-03-14.
  3. "Influential Images: London Fog Raincoats". Truth Plus. 2011-08-26. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  4. "London Fog to move headquarters from Eldersburg to Conn".
  5. "Chapter 11 for London Fog; Famed manufacturer of rainwear plans to restructure its debt; Eldersburg HQ to stay open; 115 stores to close of 140, after disastrous emphasis on retailing".
  6. "London Fog preparing to emerge from bankruptcy". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
  7. "London Fog to shut center, cut 150 jobs".
  8. "COMPANY NEWS; LONDON FOG TO EMERGE FROM BANKRUPTCY, LAWYER SAYS". The New York Times. 11 April 2001. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
  9. "London Fog Brand Sold To Iconix". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
  10. "London Fog Brand Sold To Iconix". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-03-27.
  11. "Christina Hendricks Named Celebrity Spokesmodel for London Fog" FoxNews.com, 25 Aug 2010.
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