Authentic American Style. Celebrating 160 years of dressing American men with style and sophistication.

The Brand

Since 1851, Cluett, Peabody & Co., Inc. (a subsidiary of PVH) and its predecessors have been producing shirts for the American man. Since its introduction in 1885, Cluett’s ARROW brand has been a cornerstone in the American men’s dress shirt business, defining authentic American style. ARROW commands extraordinary brand recognition for its fashionable yet functional apparel, and consistently ranks in the top 50 in consumer brand awareness in the United States.

Today’s ARROW shirt began as the once revolutionary idea that a collar could detach from its shirt, giving women an easier way to clean their husbands’ stained shirt collars without laundering the entire shirt. From this idea, born by Mrs. Hannah Montague in her home in Troy, NY, grew an internationally acclaimed dress shirt brand. Today, ARROW is licensed in 55 countries and offers a broad assortment of men’s, women’s, and children’s apparel and apparel-related products. The brand’s look and appeal reflect a youthfulness and optimism that embody the American spirit.

Continuing a rich history of innovation in American style, in 2010 ARROW reworked three classic vintage shirts to deliver a limited edition collection sold exclusively in Urban Outfitters. For Fall 2011, ARROW mined its deep brand history with the introduction for the first time since 1905 of a contemporary Arrow Collar Man to herald the introduction of the first collection offered by our newly formed PVH Europe division. The campaign features all-American actor and model Josh Duhamel as the Arrow Collar Man, alongside supermodel Bar Rafaeli. The original Arrow Collar Man was an advertisement created by renowned Saturday Evening Post artist Joseph Christian Leyendecker. The Arrow Collar Man quickly became the symbol of the idealized American Male, an icon of style and sophistication, adored by legions of female fans.

Today’s Arrow Collar Man is a modern symbol of masculine American style. Cluett Peabody is committed to providing worldwide quality ARROW brand apparel products that embody the heritage of the brand and deliver superior quality to consumers. One hundred and sixty years ago, the detachable collar was the innovation that changed an industry. Today, the ARROW brand represents another novel idea to modern men: choose value but never sacrifice style.

The History

With a heritage dating back to 1851, Cluett, Peabody & Co., Inc. is celebrating its 160th anniversary of selling superior quality apparel. In 1820, Mrs. Hannah Montague created the first detachable shirt collar in her home in Troy, NY as a way of cleaning her husband’s collar without laundering the entire shirt. In 1851, Ebenezer Brown recognized the possibilities in the detachable collar industry and began manufacturing collars in the back of his general store in Troy and the predecessor to the original Cluett, Peabody & Co., Inc. was born. This modest beginning would eventually lead to the introduction of the ARROW brand in 1885 as a pioneer in men’s fashion. From that point forward, the history of ARROW and its products closely followed the shifts and trends in American culture. As times changed, ARROW adapted accordingly, offering the product, fabric and fit that its consumers demanded. After WWI, detachable collars were abandoned in favor of soft attached collars like those soldiers had become so accustomed to on their uniforms. Conventional white shirts ruled in the 50’s and flamboyant colors and patterns reflected the turbulence of the 60’s and 70’s. Fashion marched onward, and ARROW delivered a redesigned product, appealing to the renewed conservatism of the young, urban professional in the 1970’s and 1980’s. This unique ability to cater to the needs of its customers while offering “authentic American style” has been the foundation of the ARROW brand’s continued success.