The Ben Sherman clothing line was born in 1963 with an independent young man who had major ambitions. Originally born Alfred Benjamin Sugarman, the young man changed his name and started a new life and a new clothing line: Ben Sherman. The first location of the company was in Brighton England, but eventually moved to Northern Ireland due to the increase of sales and the craze started by the original Ben Sherman button-down shirt. This shirt started the legacy which has continued strong since its inception, and is looking forward to evolving with the future.
In the 1960’s, young people were mainly focused on being smart, tough and good-looking. Ben Sherman shirts fit the bill perfectly and were adopted by the group almost immediately. It did not take long for other subcultures to view the clothing as iconic, and was soon associated with Mod, Skinhead, and music cultures. Wearing a Ben Sherman shirt under a suit became the staple for the Mod group, and the heavy boots, jeans and a Ben Sherman shirt became the same for the skinheads. Of course, the Beatles, the Who and the Rolling Stones wore the shirt and thus began its history of being part of the rebellion of youth.
The 1970’s proved to be another time of expansion for Sherman’s company. The line was not just shirts, but included all parts of causal menswear and was known as one of the largest casual menswear manufacturers of the day. The Ben Sherman clothing and its association with rebellion was not lost in this decade as the British Punk scene grabbed at the clothing, instilling the iconic look in music for good. With the expansion to boy’s and men’s casual wear, the journey was far from over for the Ben Sherman line.
Then comes the 1980’s and the differences in music still exist as does Ben Sherman on the side of the rebels. The Ska music genre picked up where the punk scene left off and finished the branding of Ben Sherman clothes with the working man. The clothing kept its roots in the Mod fashion but took it a step further to incorporate it into the style of the 80’s rebellious generation.
In washes the 1990’s and indie bands are flooding the market, some even making it to the big time, but all sporting the classic Ben Sherman shirt and clothing. The one thing that all of the rock music generation agrees on is that Ben Sherman is perfect for their look.
Even today, Ben Sherman is evolving, and now includes women’s clothing as well as fragrances, underwear, sun glasses, and other such items. But, it has never lost its roots and its association with music. The rebel image lives on and will grow as Ben Sherman expands into more lines and more clothing. The one thing that will never change, however, is the Ben Sherman Shirt that started it all.
