GANT Celebrates 75th Anniversary With Retro-Inspired Pop-Up Charting the Evolution of American Prep

American sportswear imprint GANT hosted a six-day pop-up celebrating its 75th anniversary. Between September 17-22, the brand's experiential pop-up on Greek St in Central London’s Soho neighborhood traversed the rise of prep in fashion alongside other vintage curiosities emblematic of the brand’s appreciation for timeless beauty and craftsmanship. The retro-inspired pop-up explored seven decades of the GANT universe while providing guests the opportunity to peruse the 75th capsule collection and latest Fall/Winter 2024 collection.

Founded by Bernard Gantmacher in 1949, GANT was a pioneer shirtmaker, starting with the archetypal Oxford shirt and later becoming one of the first brands to develop rugby shirts. Born in New Haven, the brand’s fixation with American prep and sportswear organically embodied the energy of America’s Ivy Leagues — think, structured button-ups, collared polos and varsity jackets with sharp, sartorial European influences. These elements organically blend into the streetwear sphere, where the brand has planted seeds as a ubiquitous purveyor of high-quality, sports-inspired garments. GANT’s celebratory pop-up channelled this evolution through a robust selection of grails and retro pieces dating back to the 1940s.

Renowned ceramist and graphic designer Nick Dynan (Me Old China) appeared on-site to personalize GANT pieces with his signature tongue-in-cheek designs. South London's Balamii Radio set the vibes with a curated playlist spotlighting the future of London's downtown music scene, with live performances by Grace, Last Nubian and Wussah. Lastly, brand ambassador and fashion podcast host Danny Lomas moderated a panel discussion unpacking the evolution of preppy style and its larger impact on youth culture. Featured panelists included GANT Creative Director Christopher Bastin, vintage expert and Creative Director of Too Hot Limited, Ollie Evans, and writer Lucy Broome.

From classic rugby silhouettes to signature varsity jackets to the mid-1990s, where jersey ruggers and maritime crew necks dominated dorm rooms across the States, the FW24 collection also includes vintage silk ties, scarfs and five-panel caps that harken back to the brand’s inception in New Haven. Guests interacted with the new collection during GANT's rollout of weekly experiential events.

The pop-up will run until September 22. In the meantime, those based in the London area can visit the site from 11 a.m. on Friday for apparel customizations by Nick Dynan, as well as performance from Last Nubian taking place on Saturday and wussah on Sunday. Don't miss the special opportunity to be chauffeured around the city in a vintage 911 Porsche also on offer over the weekend.

See highlights of the space in the galleries, and shop the latest 75th anniversary collection on GANT’s website.

Click here to view full gallery at Hypebeast