Jockey marks 150th Anniversary with year-long celebration

American heritage underwear and apparel brand Jockey is marking its 150th anniversary with a yearlong celebration of strategic partnerships and a limited-edition Jockey 1876 collection designed to honour its legacy and future.

Founded in 1876 by a small company, S.T. Cooper & Sons, with a mission to satisfy "the human need for comfort,” Jockey has become internationally recognised as one of America’s best-known family-owned innerwear and apparel brands.

What began as a business crafting high-quality wool socks, founded by Reverend Samuel T. Cooper, has evolved into a global brand sold in more than 120 countries. Jockey is widely recognised for its transformation of the men’s underwear market, as it designed the first men’s brief, the Jockey Y-Front Short, in the 1930s, providing men with an alternative to full-body union suits.

It followed up this innovation with an endorsement from baseball legend Babe Ruth in the 1940s, which saw ‘Jockey’ being sewn into the waistband, marking the first time a company had branded its product in this manner. Then, in the 1950s, it added its first women’s panty, the Jockette briefs, followed by a collection of Jockey Life washable sportswear pieces in the 1960s.

The brand also has an impressive global patent and trademark portfolio, including the men's Y-Front brief, providing support previously only found in jockstraps, the Staycool+ technology, and women's Skimmies slipshorts and Seamfree underwear.

Debra S. Waller, chairman and chief executive officer of Jockey, said in a statement: "For 150 years, families have trusted Jockey to deliver comfort and quality they can depend on. As a family-owned company shaped by generations of leadership, from Rev. Cooper to my grandfather, Harry H. Wolf Sr., and my mother, Donna Wolf Steigerwaldt, we approach this milestone with responsibility.

“Our focus has always been to deliver comfort and quality, serve families and communities, and design for the next generation."

To honour its 150-year legacy, Jockey is launching a yearlong celebration anchored by its limited-edition Jockey 1876 Collection, which draws inspiration from the brand's vault, “reviving signature silhouettes, craftsmanship details and archival design elements” with modern materials and refined fits and contemporary features for today's consumer.

The limited-edition drops will begin in March and continue throughout the year, with products available at Jockey.com, Jockey retail stores and the company's flagship retail experience, Coopers 12South, located in the iconic 12South neighbourhood of Nashville.

This will sit alongside expanded brand media investment, experiential events, and strategic partnerships with America250, Trackhouse Racing, Folds of Honor and New Zealand Rugby's All Blacks, which the brand adds have been designed to engage consumers “where sport, culture and community converge”.

Mark Fedyk, president and chief operating officer at Jockey, added: "Reaching 150 years is a remarkable achievement and one we do not take lightly. This milestone is about honouring the people and the passionate work that brought us here, celebrating something few organisations ever achieve, and introducing new audiences to who Jockey is today.

“As we celebrate our legacy, we are equally focused on building the next era of innovation and relationships."