Henry Grethel
Encyclopedia
Henry E. Grethel is an American fashion designer, merchandiser and marketer. He was born in Syracuse, New York
and is known for his elegant American sportswear collections which make use of sophisticated colors and fine fabrics. Since 1978, when his first collection debuted, Grethel has focused on the design and manufacture of handsome, well-styled, tailored apparel for both men and women. He also spent many years designing shirts for Lanvin (clothing)
, Pierre Cardin
and Christian Dior
Grethel was an early leader in business casual wear and a creative force in clothing design that suits the needs of today's consumer. In addition to holding executive positions with such major apparel companies as C. F. Hathaway Company
, Eagle Shirtmakers, and Manhattan Industries, Grethel originated and developed the John Henry brand of men's and women's wear. He then debuted his own collections for men and women with his interconnected trademarks—Henry Grethel, Equipment by Henry Grethel, Henry Grethel Platinum, and Henry Grethel Studio.
. Together, Fred and Mary had five children, in order: Leona Grethel (born1917), Carolyn Evelyn Grethel (1918–1997), Anna Mae Grethel (born1921), Frederick W. "Fred" Grethel, Jr. (1923–1944) and Henry E. Grethel (born1931). Henry was raised on Ross Park on the city's North Side. His father, the son of German immigrants, was a "master plumber" and owned his own plumbing shop in Syracuse.
Frederick Grethel Sr. (1888–1967), Henry's father, was the son of Gustave M. Grethel (1849–1916). Gustave was born in April, 1849 in Baden Wuerttemberg, Germany. By October 17, 1887 Gustave was a member of the Baker's Union in Syracuse.
When Henry was 12, his older brother, Sergeant Frederick W. Grethel, Jr., 22, a glider pilot during World War II, was killed in action on June 19, 1944 in the American airborne landings in Normandy
. He was a member of the U.S. Army, 401st Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division and was awarded the Purple Heart
. Fred was buried in Colleville-sur-Mer, France
at the Normandy American Cemetery.
Henry graduated from North High School in Syracuse in June, 1949. By September, 1950 he was a student at Centre College
located in Danville, Kentucky
. He transferred to Syracuse University
in September, 1951 and attended the College of Business Administration where he was a marketing major. His major field of study was "sales marketing." He graduated from Syracuse in June, 1954 at age 22 with a Bachelor of Science degree and was selected as "Outstanding" student in the field of marketing. The selection was based on his scholastic record as well as his contributions to the college in his field of study.
During his years at Syracuse, Grethel was social chairman of Sigma Chi
Fraternity, a popular organization on campus, and was treasurer of the American Marketing Association
.
He worked his way through college with a sales job at Wells & Coverly, a stylish men's clothing store located on South Salina Street in Downtown Syracuse
, now defunct.
Co. in New York City where he spent 2½ years "microfilming" records.
All the while, Hathaway recognized the talent and continued to call; Grethel finally quit his job at Eastman Kodak
and accepted the position with Hathaway in 1957. The company offices were located in Bridgeport, Connecticut
where he quickly relocated.
His first position at Hathaway was in sales, however, he soon moved on to become Hathaway's chief designer and marketing director.
In 1965 he was promoted to product manager of the Hathaway "Club Line". Shortly after, he was promoted to product manager and stylist for the company's dress shirt division. By 1968, Grethel was appointed to a newly created position at Hathaway, by then a division of Warnaro Inc., as vice-president of merchandising and marketing.
Along the way, Grethel made his mark in innovative dress shirt design, updating the images of the companies he worked with, and becoming president of Eagle Shirtmakers in 1971.
In July, 1973 Grethel, 41, was named president of the Manhattan Shirt Company.
During 1974, he introduced John Henry shirts and by fall, 1976, the John Henry for women line was launched.
Grethel's name was seen first on other labels: Henry Grethel for Lanvin, Henry Grethel for Pierre Cardin. However, his big break came in 1978 when, as president of Manhattan Shirt Company, he started designing for his own label, first a men's collection, then women's, sportswear and dress wear.
In 1995, he was president of Henry Grethel Apparel, part of Hartmarx Corp.
By 2005, Grethel was president of HG Design International, Henry Grethel Apparel. The firm designs clothing in classic design that are good-looking, comfortable and versatile - "just beautiful clothes" - is how Grethel describes his design sensibility.
invited Henry Grethel to design and oversee production of both the winter and summer parade uniforms for Team USA in the 1992 Olympics. Separate outfits were designed by Grethel for the opening ceremonies of the XXV Olympiad winter games in Albertville, France and the summer games in Barcelona, Spain.
The winter designer garbs were described as having an air of casual elegance that was distinctive and sophisticated, yet at the same time, fun. Grethel chose colorful shades of berry, frost and cobalt which are stylish versions of red, white and blue trimmed with gold. He had his hand in the design of overcoats, pants, hand-knit sweaters as well as accessories such as fedoras, leather gloves, boots and stadium scarves.
According to Grethel, "My goal was to create clothing of which the athletes and the country could be proud."
To make the summer uniforms feel as cool and comfortable as possible in the Barcelona heat, Grethel selected the lightest cottons and tropical wools, and cut the garments with a loose, easy fit. The color scheme of the parade uniforms is patriotic, drawing inspiration from American flag colors, but not using the expected hues. "Brighter and more fashionable -- the palette of the summer uniforms is cornflower blue, fuchsia and white," Grethel said.
Grethel spent 15 months translating his vision from paper to final design. His first sketches, a cross between a "sophisticated ski ensemble and the flight jackets worn by American astronauts", were rejected.
"They were designed to look very all-American, but the committee feared terrorist attacks," according to Grethel, referring to concern about anti-American sentiment. Grethel went back to the drawing board and came up with an Italian-inspired wardrobe in a palette of cranberry and purple-navy.
The opening parade is the most viewed event of the Games, and the 1992 winter event attracted over 1.5 billion viewers worldwide. Incredible as that sounds, an audience of 3.5 billion people were watching when the parade uniforms made their international debut in the summer opening ceremonies in Barcelona, Spain in June, 1992.
In 1998, he was presented the Syracuse University Outstanding Alumni Award.
Grethel has received numerous honors for marketing and design, including membership in the prestigious Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), whose membership consists of more than 280 of America's foremost fashion and accessory designers. CFDA membership is by invitation only and includes many prominent designers including Oleg Cassini, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauran and Donna Karan.
He was selected to design the opening ceremony uniforms for Team USA at the Albertville and Barcelona Olympic games. He was awarded the Tiffany trophy from the U.S. Olympic Organizing Committee for his stylish parade uniforms for the Winter Games.
On June 8, 2009, Henry Grethel received the Icon of Style Award from Syracuse University. For Grethel, who has been honored many times during his long career, this was a special award; "There have been only a handful of moments in my career that have touched my heart and for which I am forever grateful: 1) when I first created the John Henry line; 2) when I first designed my own Henry Grethel collection; 3) when I became the first designer to create uniforms for the U.S. Olympic team (and especially seeing the team at opening ceremonies in Barcelona proudly sporting those uniforms); and 4) receiving this Icon of Style award from my alma mater."
Two of his children are also Syracuse University
alumni, David Grethel '82 and Michele Grethel '88. Son, Todd Grethel '83 was a graduate of Fashion Institute of Technology
.
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
and is known for his elegant American sportswear collections which make use of sophisticated colors and fine fabrics. Since 1978, when his first collection debuted, Grethel has focused on the design and manufacture of handsome, well-styled, tailored apparel for both men and women. He also spent many years designing shirts for Lanvin (clothing)
Lanvin (clothing)
Lanvin is a high fashion house founded by Jeanne Lanvin.-History:Lanvin made such beautiful clothes for her daughter that they began to attract the attention of a number of wealthy people who requested copies for their own children...
, Pierre Cardin
Pierre Cardin
Pierre Cardin Cardin was known for his avant-garde style and his Space Age designs. He prefers geometric shapes and motifs, often ignoring the female form. He advanced into unisex fashions, sometimes experimental, and not always practical...
and Christian Dior
Christian Dior
Christian Dior , was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, also called Christian Dior.-Life:...
Grethel was an early leader in business casual wear and a creative force in clothing design that suits the needs of today's consumer. In addition to holding executive positions with such major apparel companies as C. F. Hathaway Company
C. F. Hathaway Company
C. F. Hathaway Company was a private manufacturer of shirts for men and boys, located in Waterville, Maine. It was founded in 1837 and made uniform shirts for Union soldiers during the American Civil War. It is most famous for its "man with an eye patch" advertising campaign, which was created by...
, Eagle Shirtmakers, and Manhattan Industries, Grethel originated and developed the John Henry brand of men's and women's wear. He then debuted his own collections for men and women with his interconnected trademarks—Henry Grethel, Equipment by Henry Grethel, Henry Grethel Platinum, and Henry Grethel Studio.
Early life
Henry Grethel was born in 1931 and was youngest of five children. He is the son of Frederick Grethel (1888–1967) of Syracuse and Mary Elizabeth Mellen (1893–1976) of Williamstown, New YorkWilliamstown, New York
Williamstown is a town in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 1,350 at the 2000 census.The Town of Williamstown is on the county's east border.- History :The Town of Williamstown was created in 1804 from the Town of Mexico....
. Together, Fred and Mary had five children, in order: Leona Grethel (born1917), Carolyn Evelyn Grethel (1918–1997), Anna Mae Grethel (born1921), Frederick W. "Fred" Grethel, Jr. (1923–1944) and Henry E. Grethel (born1931). Henry was raised on Ross Park on the city's North Side. His father, the son of German immigrants, was a "master plumber" and owned his own plumbing shop in Syracuse.
Frederick Grethel Sr. (1888–1967), Henry's father, was the son of Gustave M. Grethel (1849–1916). Gustave was born in April, 1849 in Baden Wuerttemberg, Germany. By October 17, 1887 Gustave was a member of the Baker's Union in Syracuse.
When Henry was 12, his older brother, Sergeant Frederick W. Grethel, Jr., 22, a glider pilot during World War II, was killed in action on June 19, 1944 in the American airborne landings in Normandy
American airborne landings in Normandy
The American airborne landings in Normandy were the first United States combat operations during Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy by the Western Allies on June 6, 1944. Around 13,100 paratroopers of the U.S. 82nd Airborne and 101st Airborne Divisions made night parachute drops early on...
. He was a member of the U.S. Army, 401st Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division and was awarded the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
. Fred was buried in Colleville-sur-Mer, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
at the Normandy American Cemetery.
Henry graduated from North High School in Syracuse in June, 1949. By September, 1950 he was a student at Centre College
Centre College
Centre College is a private liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky, USA, a community of approximately 16,000 in Boyle County south of Lexington, KY. Centre is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution. Centre was founded by Presbyterian leaders, with whom it maintains a loose...
located in Danville, Kentucky
Danville, Kentucky
Danville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,218 at the 2010 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
. He transferred to Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
in September, 1951 and attended the College of Business Administration where he was a marketing major. His major field of study was "sales marketing." He graduated from Syracuse in June, 1954 at age 22 with a Bachelor of Science degree and was selected as "Outstanding" student in the field of marketing. The selection was based on his scholastic record as well as his contributions to the college in his field of study.
During his years at Syracuse, Grethel was social chairman of Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
Fraternity, a popular organization on campus, and was treasurer of the American Marketing Association
American Marketing Association
The American Marketing Association is a professional association for marketers. As of 2008 it had approximately 40,000 members. There are 76 professional chapters and 250 collegiate chapters across the United States....
.
He worked his way through college with a sales job at Wells & Coverly, a stylish men's clothing store located on South Salina Street in Downtown Syracuse
Downtown Syracuse
Downtown Syracuse is the economic center of Syracuse, New York, and Central New York, employing over 30,000 people, and housing over 2,000. It is also one of the 26 officially recognized neighborhoods of Syracuse.- History :...
, now defunct.
Fashion career
While in college, Grethel interviewed with C. P. Hathaway Company, a designer and manufacturer of men's shirts, however, he accepted a "practical" position with Recordak Corp., subsidiary of Eastman KodakEastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak Company is a multinational imaging and photographic equipment, materials and services company headquarted in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded by George Eastman in 1892....
Co. in New York City where he spent 2½ years "microfilming" records.
All the while, Hathaway recognized the talent and continued to call; Grethel finally quit his job at Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak Company is a multinational imaging and photographic equipment, materials and services company headquarted in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded by George Eastman in 1892....
and accepted the position with Hathaway in 1957. The company offices were located in Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
where he quickly relocated.
His first position at Hathaway was in sales, however, he soon moved on to become Hathaway's chief designer and marketing director.
In 1965 he was promoted to product manager of the Hathaway "Club Line". Shortly after, he was promoted to product manager and stylist for the company's dress shirt division. By 1968, Grethel was appointed to a newly created position at Hathaway, by then a division of Warnaro Inc., as vice-president of merchandising and marketing.
Along the way, Grethel made his mark in innovative dress shirt design, updating the images of the companies he worked with, and becoming president of Eagle Shirtmakers in 1971.
In July, 1973 Grethel, 41, was named president of the Manhattan Shirt Company.
During 1974, he introduced John Henry shirts and by fall, 1976, the John Henry for women line was launched.
Grethel's name was seen first on other labels: Henry Grethel for Lanvin, Henry Grethel for Pierre Cardin. However, his big break came in 1978 when, as president of Manhattan Shirt Company, he started designing for his own label, first a men's collection, then women's, sportswear and dress wear.
In 1995, he was president of Henry Grethel Apparel, part of Hartmarx Corp.
By 2005, Grethel was president of HG Design International, Henry Grethel Apparel. The firm designs clothing in classic design that are good-looking, comfortable and versatile - "just beautiful clothes" - is how Grethel describes his design sensibility.
1992 U.S. Olympic Team Designs
After viewing some of his sketches, the United States Olympic CommitteeUnited States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic Committee is a non-profit organization that serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and coordinates the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and various...
invited Henry Grethel to design and oversee production of both the winter and summer parade uniforms for Team USA in the 1992 Olympics. Separate outfits were designed by Grethel for the opening ceremonies of the XXV Olympiad winter games in Albertville, France and the summer games in Barcelona, Spain.
The winter designer garbs were described as having an air of casual elegance that was distinctive and sophisticated, yet at the same time, fun. Grethel chose colorful shades of berry, frost and cobalt which are stylish versions of red, white and blue trimmed with gold. He had his hand in the design of overcoats, pants, hand-knit sweaters as well as accessories such as fedoras, leather gloves, boots and stadium scarves.
According to Grethel, "My goal was to create clothing of which the athletes and the country could be proud."
To make the summer uniforms feel as cool and comfortable as possible in the Barcelona heat, Grethel selected the lightest cottons and tropical wools, and cut the garments with a loose, easy fit. The color scheme of the parade uniforms is patriotic, drawing inspiration from American flag colors, but not using the expected hues. "Brighter and more fashionable -- the palette of the summer uniforms is cornflower blue, fuchsia and white," Grethel said.
Grethel spent 15 months translating his vision from paper to final design. His first sketches, a cross between a "sophisticated ski ensemble and the flight jackets worn by American astronauts", were rejected.
"They were designed to look very all-American, but the committee feared terrorist attacks," according to Grethel, referring to concern about anti-American sentiment. Grethel went back to the drawing board and came up with an Italian-inspired wardrobe in a palette of cranberry and purple-navy.
The opening parade is the most viewed event of the Games, and the 1992 winter event attracted over 1.5 billion viewers worldwide. Incredible as that sounds, an audience of 3.5 billion people were watching when the parade uniforms made their international debut in the summer opening ceremonies in Barcelona, Spain in June, 1992.
Awards
Since his early years at Syracuse University, Henry Grethel was considered an innovative, creative force. By the time he graduated in June, 1954, he had been named the "outstanding student" in the field of marketing.In 1998, he was presented the Syracuse University Outstanding Alumni Award.
Grethel has received numerous honors for marketing and design, including membership in the prestigious Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), whose membership consists of more than 280 of America's foremost fashion and accessory designers. CFDA membership is by invitation only and includes many prominent designers including Oleg Cassini, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauran and Donna Karan.
He was selected to design the opening ceremony uniforms for Team USA at the Albertville and Barcelona Olympic games. He was awarded the Tiffany trophy from the U.S. Olympic Organizing Committee for his stylish parade uniforms for the Winter Games.
On June 8, 2009, Henry Grethel received the Icon of Style Award from Syracuse University. For Grethel, who has been honored many times during his long career, this was a special award; "There have been only a handful of moments in my career that have touched my heart and for which I am forever grateful: 1) when I first created the John Henry line; 2) when I first designed my own Henry Grethel collection; 3) when I became the first designer to create uniforms for the U.S. Olympic team (and especially seeing the team at opening ceremonies in Barcelona proudly sporting those uniforms); and 4) receiving this Icon of Style award from my alma mater."
Personal life
He was married to Arlene J. Grethel and had five children who were raised in Sandy Hook, Connecticut. The couple divorced in 1983 and he married a second time to Anna Grethel in June, 1984.Two of his children are also Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
alumni, David Grethel '82 and Michele Grethel '88. Son, Todd Grethel '83 was a graduate of Fashion Institute of Technology
Fashion Institute of Technology
The Fashion Institute of Technology, generally known as FIT, is a State University of New York college of art, business, design, and technology connected to the fashion industry, with an urban campus located on West 27th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues in the Chelsea neighborhood of...
.
External links
- Council of Fashion Designers of America - Members (2010)
- Henry Grethel Men's Fashion Video (1986)
- Knight-Ridder News Service, "Fashion set has designs on president-elect's appearance", The Baltimore Sun, Jan. 19, 1993
- Syracuse University Happenings - VPA Holds second annual fashion show in NYC (Fall 2009)
- VPA to present New York City fashion show June 3; renowned designer Henry Grethel to receive Icon of Style Award (5 May 2009)
- Syracuse University Archives; Outstanding Alumni Award
- Stuart Ewen, "All consuming images: the politics of style in contemporary culture", Google Books, 1984