White Stag (clothing)
Encyclopedia
White Stag is an in-store brand
of women's clothing and accessories sold by Wal-Mart
. Originally founded as a skiwear manufacturer in Portland, Oregon
, the company was purchased by the Warnaco Group
in 1966, which in turn sold the brand to Wal-Mart in 2003.
, which made durable outdoor clothing and supplies worn by loggers, mill hands, and stockmen. Hirsch-Weis itself was founded when brothers Max S. and Leopold B. Hirsch purchased the Willamette Tent and Awning Company, a manufacturer of sails for deepwater ships, from E. Henry Wemme
in 1907. The Hirsch brothers renamed the company for themselves and Harry Weis, Wemme's secretary, whom the brothers retained as a partner with the new company.
In 1929, Harold S. Hirsch, Max's 21-year old son, returned to Portland after graduating from Dartmouth College
, where he had been a member of the school's ski team. He began making downhill skiing apparel, starting with a ski suit
, which Hirsch-Weis began marketing in 1931 as White Stag, from the literal English translation of the parent company's names weis and hirsch.
Skiing, then in its infancy in the United States, was becoming popular in Oregon in the 1930s, and White Stag grew quickly, with the division expanding to include other types of casual sportswear
.
, a tradition that has been repeated annually ever since. The White Stag sign
quickly became an identifying landmark for the city, and it was designated a Portland landmark by the city's Historic Landmarks Commission in 1977. Its lettering was changed to advertise the Made in Oregon gift retailer in 1997, and in 2010 the sign was acquired by the city and its lettering changed again, to read "Portland Oregon".
In 1966, White Stag was purchased by the Warner Brothers Company, which later became the Warnaco Group
. The company moved its operations out of its downtown Portland building in the 1970s and by 1986, had moved out of Portland completely.
, into a new company, Authentic Fitness Corporation, which went public in 1992. The company grew through the 1990s, but saddled with debt from other acquisitions and mergers, Warnaco filed for Chapter 11
protection in 2000.
. Wal-Mart now uses the trademark on a line of women's casual clothing, footwear, and basic jewelry.
Store brand
Store brands are a line of products sold by a retailer under a single marketing identity. They bear a similarity to the concept of House brands, Private label brands in the United States, own brands in the UK, and home brands in Australia and generic brands...
of women's clothing and accessories sold by Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
. Originally founded as a skiwear manufacturer in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, the company was purchased by the Warnaco Group
Warnaco Group
The Warnaco Group, Inc. is an American textile/apparel corporation which designs, sources, markets, licenses, and distributes a wide range of intimate apparel, sportswear, and swimwear worldwide. Its products are sold under several brand names including Calvin Klein, Speedo, Chaps, Warner's, and...
in 1966, which in turn sold the brand to Wal-Mart in 2003.
Company origins
The White Stag company began as an offshoot of the Hirsch-Weis Manufacturing Company of Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, which made durable outdoor clothing and supplies worn by loggers, mill hands, and stockmen. Hirsch-Weis itself was founded when brothers Max S. and Leopold B. Hirsch purchased the Willamette Tent and Awning Company, a manufacturer of sails for deepwater ships, from E. Henry Wemme
E. Henry Wemme
E. Henry Wemme was a wealthy businessman in Portland, in the U.S. state of Oregon. He was an active business investor during the pioneering era of automobiles and aviation....
in 1907. The Hirsch brothers renamed the company for themselves and Harry Weis, Wemme's secretary, whom the brothers retained as a partner with the new company.
In 1929, Harold S. Hirsch, Max's 21-year old son, returned to Portland after graduating from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, where he had been a member of the school's ski team. He began making downhill skiing apparel, starting with a ski suit
Ski suit
A ski suit is a suit made to be worn over the rest of the clothes when skiing. A ski suit made for more casual winter wear outdoors may also be called a snowsuit....
, which Hirsch-Weis began marketing in 1931 as White Stag, from the literal English translation of the parent company's names weis and hirsch.
Skiing, then in its infancy in the United States, was becoming popular in Oregon in the 1930s, and White Stag grew quickly, with the division expanding to include other types of casual sportswear
Sportswear
Sportswear or activewear is clothing, including footwear, worn for sport or physical exercise. Sport-specific clothing is worn for most sports and physical exercise, for practical, comfort or safety reasons....
.
Company growth and acquisition by Warnaco
In 1956, reflecting the popularity of the sportswear line, Hirsch-Weis changed its name to White Stag. In 1959, the company modified a large animated sign on the roof of its downtown Portland building, changing it from advertising a brand of sugar to instead advertise White Stag sportswear. For the 1959 Christmas season, a red neon "nose" was added to the stag's snout in imitation of Rudolph the Red-Nosed ReindeerRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer is a fictional reindeer with a glowing red nose. He is popularly known as "Santa's 9th Reindeer" and, when depicted, is the lead reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve. The luminosity of his nose is so great that it illuminates the team's path through...
, a tradition that has been repeated annually ever since. The White Stag sign
White Stag sign
The White Stag sign, also known as the Made in Oregon sign and the “Portland Oregon” sign, is a lighted neon-and-incandescent-bulb sign located atop the White Stag Building, at 70 NW Couch Street in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States, facing the Burnside Bridge. The sign faces westbound...
quickly became an identifying landmark for the city, and it was designated a Portland landmark by the city's Historic Landmarks Commission in 1977. Its lettering was changed to advertise the Made in Oregon gift retailer in 1997, and in 2010 the sign was acquired by the city and its lettering changed again, to read "Portland Oregon".
In 1966, White Stag was purchased by the Warner Brothers Company, which later became the Warnaco Group
Warnaco Group
The Warnaco Group, Inc. is an American textile/apparel corporation which designs, sources, markets, licenses, and distributes a wide range of intimate apparel, sportswear, and swimwear worldwide. Its products are sold under several brand names including Calvin Klein, Speedo, Chaps, Warner's, and...
. The company moved its operations out of its downtown Portland building in the 1970s and by 1986, had moved out of Portland completely.
The Warnaco years
In 1986, former Warnaco executive Linda J. Wachner engineered a $550 million hostile takeover of Warnaco and began streamlining the company. White Stag was reorganized with other activewear lines, including SpeedoSpeedo
Speedo International Ltd. is a manufacturer and distributor of swimwear and swim-related accessories. Founded in Australia in 1914, the industry leading company is now a subsidiary of Pentland Group Plc. Today, the Speedo brand can be found on products ranging from swimsuits and goggles to wrist...
, into a new company, Authentic Fitness Corporation, which went public in 1992. The company grew through the 1990s, but saddled with debt from other acquisitions and mergers, Warnaco filed for Chapter 11
Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
protection in 2000.
Wal-Mart label
After Warnaco emerged from bankruptcy in 2003, it sold the White Stag trademark to Wal-MartWal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
. Wal-Mart now uses the trademark on a line of women's casual clothing, footwear, and basic jewelry.