Izod

Izod is a premium clothing company that produces dressy-casual clothing similar to brands such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Eddie Bauer and LL Bean. It is part of the Phillips-Van Heusen Company.

Overview

In the early 1900s, Vin Draddy, an American businessman started a men's apparel business and needed a strong name to associate with his quality merchandise. Vacationing in London, he encountered a tailor shop in London, Jack Izod's. Jack, a well-respected tailor who made custom shirts for King George V and other royalty, was ready to retire and accepted Vin's offer to purchase the rights to his distinctive name.

Izod is most notable for its pairing with the Lacoste shirt company from 1952-1993, known simply as "Izod Lacoste". While the shirts were equally Izod and Lacoste, they became known and popularized as "Izod" shirts which leads to the common misnomer that the famous "Alligator" is the "Izod" trademark. The two companies ended the partnership in 1993 after after its parent company became too financially burdened. Lacoste was sold off back to France, Izod was sold to British shirtmaker VanHeusen.

During the mid-1990s Izod After its popularity slipped, Izod repositioned and restored some of its previous prestige while introducing a number of midrange to higher end products, complete with a stylized layered "IZ" logo. In addition to its sportswear, Izod designs a full range of formal suits, shirts, neckties, shoes, and fragrance.

A former Continental Airlines Arena was renamed the Izod Center as of October 31, 2007, the Nets' season opener. The company will pay $1.4 million per annum for the naming rights during the first two years of the agreement, while the Nets are still tenants, which will drop to $750,000 per year for the balance of the five-year deal. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/05/sports/basketball/05arena.html "Fashionable New Name for Arena"] , "The New York Times", October 5, 2007. Accessed October 11, 2007. "On Oct. 31, when the Nets open their season against the Chicago Bulls, the Meadowlands arena named for Continental Airlines for 12 years will be rechristened the Izod Center. Izod will pay $1.4 million a year in cash for the first two years of the five-year agreement, which will be cut to $750,000 annually in 2009 when the Nets are expected to move to Brooklyn."]

References

See also

* Izod Lacoste
* Lacoste

External links

* [http://www.izod.com/ IZOD]