By Andrew Hubert
In case you haven’t heard, the United States has levied a 10% universal tariff and higher individualized tariffs on certain countries, including China and Japan. Even for traditional and ivy styles, much of the world’s clothing supply is manufactured and exported from Asia, particularly China. Many of our readers are gearing up their wardrobes for summer and all the occasions that correspond with the sunny weather. Likewise, there is a significant and unfortunate chance the bottom line of your shopping cart is higher than what you anticipated.
Considering how deeply rooted ivy style is in the history of the United States, is it safe to presume that a substantial number of readers who embrace the style have an affinity for the companies who embrace it as well. Certain clothing companies still and always have manufactured their clothing lines in the United States. If you have purchased clothing from said companies at some point in the past and intend to repeat, you may notice their prices will increase very little or not at all over the course of this trade war. More importantly, and unlike many foreign-based clothing companies, these domestic producers are so diligent in maintaining their brand’s quality that buying from them ought to be considered an investment, rather than a purchase.
J. Press
Headquartered in New York City with locations in New Haven and Tokyo, J. Press has specialized in traditional style men’s clothing for over a century. The brand has survived and thrived in spite of devastating economic recessions, inflation, displacement of domestic labor, and two world wars. Whether you choose to invest in a classic navy oxford, a shaggy dog sweater, or even a classic navy/gold striped tie, J. Press exemplifies both fine taste in menswear and thoughtful decision-making in uncertain times. With almost perfect timing, the J. Press Brochure for Spring & Summer 2025 has just been published.
The Andover Shop
The Andover Shop, located in the Massachusetts towns and Andover and Cambridge, has served generations of Boston Brahmins, musicians Miles Davis and Chet Baker, Invisible Man author Ralph Ellison, and presidents of the United States including two members of the Bush family, both of whom graduated from Phillips Andover Academy. A quick Google search of the phrase “Made in the USA for The Andover Shop” will reveal that several items are American made, including the Oxford Button Down Dress Shirt and Cotton Khaki Twill Plain Front Trousers.
Brooks Brothers
Founded in New York City in 1818, Brooks Brothers is America’s oldest apparel company. Over the years Brooks Brothers has outfitted nearly every U.S. president including, most famously, Abraham Lincoln. F. Scott Fitzgerald, a loyal Brooks Brothers customer, referenced the brand frequently in his work, including his first novel This Side of Paradise. This week Brooks Brothers celebrated its 207th anniversary. The website has a section titled Men’s Clothing Made in USA which includes such American-made items as the No.1 Sack Suit and the OCBD Dress Shirt.
Mercer & Sons
Jumping from the Big Apple to Big Sky Country, Mercer & Sons (M&S) has never compromised quality for profit in producing their exemplary Oxfords. Originally headquartered and manufactured in Rhode Island, M&S’s commitment to their ivy heritage and attention to detail is stronger than ever. Their specialty is and will continue to be the SoftCollar 3 7/16″ Button Down Collar. They have maintained direct control over their quality by keeping their operations entirely domestic – short-sighted economics are not included in M&S’s business model. Regardless of whether you intend to don an M&S shirt for a graduation in May, meeting with a client in June, or a cookout for the Fourth of July, M&S can be sported for both formal and informal events, and for many seasons to come.
Gitman Bros
Much like Mercer & Sons, Gitman Bros produces only a few excellent articles of traditional clothing. Formally founded in 1978, Gitman manufactures their oxford shirts in Pennsylvania and ties in North Carolina with meticulous craftsmanship. Patriotic customers can take solace in the fact that when they wear a Gitman shirt, that same brand has been worn by thousands of military personnel over the years.
Caswell-Massey
Established in 1752, Caswell-Massey is America’s fourth-oldest continuously operating company and its oldest consumer brand. The company’s motto is “America’s Original Soap and Fragrance Company” and the legacy of the brand has been featured by the Newport Historical Society. President John F. Kennedy wore Jockey Club by Caswell-Massey. This product and others from Caswell-Massey are proudly made in the USA.
St Johns Fragrance
Established in 1946, St Johns Fragrance has its origins in the US Virgin Islands. The brand’s iconic hand woven palm frond bottles are inspired by Virgin Island fishing baskets. US Navy Officer Captain John Webb blended local bay rum with tropical bay leaf oils and spices to create Bay Rum, the signature fragrance for the brand which would become known as St Johns Fragrance. Products like Bay Rum Soap on a Rope are proudly milled in the USA.
Yuge win! Paying more so the worst dressed politician can pretend he understands economics.
Alden and Allen Edmonds should be on the list. J. Crew also occasionally sells items made in USA.
Thank you for suggestions. Alden, Allen Edmonds, and J. Crew will be added to the “Made in America: Part 2” article.
While I’m all in favor of supporting companies manufacturing their products domestically, it’s important to remember their raw materials are generally imported. Their prices will have to increase. This trade war is really a losing situation for everyone.
Looks like the rest of the world declared a trade war against us, decades ago, and we were too weak-kneed to respond.
It’s time to have fair trade. That will be better for everyone.
How fortuitous. Several recent purchases from J. Press have arrived in the last week. Given how easy I am on clothes (and shoes), with routine care they should be able to bury me in a few of these items. Of course, the purchase has little to do with current geopolitical developments, simply that it was time to replace a 20+ year-old blazer that is starting to look its age, and there were a couple of Christmas cyber gift cards burning a figurative hole in my pocket.
Kind Regards,
Heinz-Ulrich
Also O’Connells in Buffalo. Very high quality Hugh inventory of traditional and Ivy League clothing. All suits and sport coats are three button sack models, and are full canvas. All made in the USA or Canada.
You can add to the list Rustic Dime for made-in-USA chinos. Also, O’Connell’s in Buffalo has an enormous amount of made-in-America clothing.
Along with other brands mentioned above, O’Connells, G.H. Bass, and Sperry were omitted, which is kind of major in my book. For example, Bass Weejuns were the standard penny loafer for a long, long time.
Should RL, Lands End, LL Bean be considered? Probably. I realize the latter brands (but also Brooks Brothers!) offer a lot of foreign-made products these days, but they’ve all had a strong influence on men’s American trad style.
Thank you for suggestions. O’Connell’s, G.H. Bass, Sperry, Ralph Lauren, Lands End, and L.L. Bean will be added to the “Made in America: Part 2” article.
lets not forget that L.L. Bean still makes their famous Maine Hunting Boots and canvas tote bags in Maine
Thank you for suggestion. L.L. Bean will be added to the “Made in America: Part 2” article.
I dropped by BB to see the No. 1 Sack Suit. They also have a Sack Blazer. Not the highest quality materials or construction. As you know, MTM is my only option, but just the fact that it’s a sack really helps. I forgot to ask what my options are for working button holes, lapel width, and such. I don’t care much for the shoulder shape at the sleeve-head.
I looked through the swatch books to crack the code. Not the highest quality cloth. Too many and too ugly. I suspect that in the end a very large percentage of cloth is repurposed or discarded. I saw names I’ve never heard of. So I dropped by a tailor shop. (Great guy!) The tailor told me that the Italians, (and others?) import cloth from China, and turnaround and sell it to a US importer, then on to whoever for manufacture in the US. I would much prefer UK cloth and one or two fewer middle-men.
The RTW 3/2 suit is Tasmanian (Loro Piana) Super 150s. Too flimsy and too shiny for me. And the buttons have a cheap look.
The blazer is “Dobby” wool? It resembles a hop sack weave.
I may go take another look at it. Three patch pockets, though.
I can get a lot of use out of a blazer, but that’s a lot of $$$.
Quoddy and Rancourt shoes and boots. All made in Maine.
I am a big fan of Rancourt’s made-in-Maine shoes, as is my wife. Excellent workmanship and comfort. I have not tried Quoddy’s boat shoes, but I hear good things about them as well.
Smartwool and Darn Tough socks are made in the USA.
I think Allen Edmunds does some of the sewing in South America.
Gitman Brothers now made in Lafayette Tn – ties made in Pilot Mountain NC – OConnells great
Although Chipp is no longer making custom clothing, when we did it was all made by our own tailors in NYC and Connecticut.
We still make our ties – with the exception of the knits which are made in Italy – in NYC.
The cloth is imported from England and Italy.
A recent shipment of knit ties had duty that was $2.50 per tie.
Rancourt is an American brand, yes?
https://www.rancourtandcompany.com/pages/about
Thank you for the link. Rancourt appears to be a very good quality American product, some models made to order, good materials, good construction, various widths, etc.
Bill’s Khakis is another made in the US brand.
Joe, great suggestion. There will be a full article on Ivy Style devoted to khakis.
Need to add Jack Donnelly khakis.
Pete, great suggestion. There will be a full article on Ivy Style devoted to khakis.
Terrific to note J. Press is using a certain (old, historic) factory in Rochester.
This tailoring + Fox Bros. cloth = A +++.
addendum: I’d like to see J. Press (and others) use more domestically woven cloth. There are (still) plenty of mills and weavers here in the U.S.A, turning out superb cloth (“fabric”). Several in New England, and many more scattered throughout the States.