COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 448140

Family Clothing Stores

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

38companies1896–1994founding years38still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedVivarte SA
1896
FoundedVF Corporation
1899
FoundedNordstrom, Inc.
1901
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedGUS plc
1917
FoundedCanadian Tire Corporation, Limited
1927
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
FoundedL.L. Bean, Inc.
1934
FoundedRecreational Equipment, Inc.
1938
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
FoundedJ. Crew Group, Inc.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedThe TJX Companies, Inc.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedIndustria de Diseño Textil S.A.
1963
FoundedBenetton Group S.p.A.
1965
FoundedEddie Bauer, Inc.
1968
FoundedAEON Co., Ltd.FoundedThe Gap, Inc.
1969
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
FoundedKiabi Europe
1978
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
FoundedCortefiel S.A.
1980
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedHanna Andersson Corp.
1983
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedMatalan PLC
1985
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1994
TechnologyAmazon is founded; e-commerce begins to disrupt retail.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Vivarte SA →
Active · founded 1896 · France
Vivarte SA, formerly Groupe André, is Europe's leading retail footwear group and a major force in the continent's…
Vivarte SA →
Active · founded 1896 · France
Vivarte SA, formerly Groupe André, is Europe's leading retail footwear group and a major force in the continent's…
VF Corporation →
Active · founded 1899
VF Corporation is one of the world's largest publicly owned fashion apparel manufacturers, designing and producing a…
VF Corporation →
Active · founded 1899
VF Corporation is one of the world's largest publicly owned fashion apparel manufacturers, designing and producing a…
Nordstrom, Inc. →
Active · founded 1901
Nordstrom, Inc.
Nordstrom, Inc. →
Active · founded 1901
Nordstrom, Inc.
GUS plc →
Active · founded 1917 · United Kingdom
GUS plc, formerly the Great Universal Stores plc, is one of the leading retailers in the United Kingdom and also is a…
GUS plc →
Active · founded 1917 · United Kingdom
GUS plc, formerly the Great Universal Stores plc, is one of the leading retailers in the United Kingdom and also is a…
Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited →
Active · founded 1927 · Canada
1950s:Canadian Tire "money" is introduced.
Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited →
Active · founded 1927 · Canada
1950s:Canadian Tire "money" is introduced.
L.L. Bean, Inc. →
Active · founded 1934
L.L.
L.L. Bean, Inc. →
Active · founded 1934
L.L.
Recreational Equipment, Inc. →
Active · founded 1938
Recreational Equipment, Inc.
Recreational Equipment, Inc. →
Active · founded 1938
Recreational Equipment, Inc.
J. Crew Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
J.
J. Crew Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947
J.
The TJX Companies, Inc. →
Active · founded 1962
The TJX Companies, Inc.
The TJX Companies, Inc. →
Active · founded 1962
The TJX Companies, Inc.
Industria de Diseño Textil S.A. →
Active · founded 1963 · Spain
Industria de Diseño Textil S.A., also known as The Inditex Group, is one of the world's leading and fastest-growing…
Industria de Diseño Textil S.A. →
Active · founded 1963 · Spain
Industria de Diseño Textil S.A., also known as The Inditex Group, is one of the world's leading and fastest-growing…
Benetton Group S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1965 · Italy
Benetton Group S.p.A.
Benetton Group S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1965 · Italy
Benetton Group S.p.A.
Eddie Bauer, Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
Eddie Bauer, Inc.
Eddie Bauer, Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
Eddie Bauer, Inc.
AEON Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1969 · Japan
Formerly known as JUSCO AEON Co., Ltd.
AEON Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1969 · Japan
Formerly known as JUSCO AEON Co., Ltd.
The Gap, Inc. →
Active · founded 1969
Founded as a single store by Donald G.
The Gap, Inc. →
Active · founded 1969
Founded as a single store by Donald G.
Kiabi Europe →
Active · founded 1978 · France
Kiabi Europe is a leading French clothing retailer, operating 110 stores in France as well as 12 stores in Spain and…
Kiabi Europe →
Active · founded 1978 · France
Kiabi Europe is a leading French clothing retailer, operating 110 stores in France as well as 12 stores in Spain and…
Cortefiel S.A. →
Active · founded 1980 · Spain
Spain's Cortefiel S.A.
Cortefiel S.A. →
Active · founded 1980 · Spain
Spain's Cortefiel S.A.
Hanna Andersson Corp. →
Active · founded 1983
Hanna Andersson Corp.
Hanna Andersson Corp. →
Active · founded 1983
Hanna Andersson Corp.
Matalan PLC →
Active · founded 1985 · United Kingdom
Matalan PLC is the fastest growing retailer in the United Kingdom with more than 120 stores that market High Street…
Matalan PLC →
Active · founded 1985 · United Kingdom
Matalan PLC is the fastest growing retailer in the United Kingdom with more than 120 stores that market High Street…
Old Navy, Inc. →
Active · founded 1994
Old Navy, Inc., a subsidiary of The Gap, Inc., operates a chain of approximately 850 clothing stores, marketing itself…
Old Navy, Inc. →
Active · founded 1994
Old Navy, Inc., a subsidiary of The Gap, Inc., operates a chain of approximately 850 clothing stores, marketing itself…
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