Barneys New York

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Barney Pressman pawns his wife's engagement ring and uses the cash to open a 500-square-foot men's discount clothing store on Seventh Avenue and 17th Street. His slogan? "No Bunk, No Junk, No Imitations."

1930s

Barney builds his business with cheeky and creative marketing. Case in point: Women encased in barrels are positioned outside near beer halls where they hand out matchbooks bearing the store's name and address. Barney is also the first Manhattan clothier to use radio and television, beginning with "Calling All Men to Barney's" radio spots echoing the intro to the famous Dick Tracy radio series.

1960s

Barney's son Fred kick-starts the transition from discount store to luxury destination. Collaborating with pals Hubert de Givenchy and Pierre Cardin, he sets out to give New York men a taste of European style. The concept of men's designer clothing is born.

1970s

Fred Pressman's youngest sons, Gene and Bob, join the family business and take on the task of expanding into women’s designer clothing. Meanwhile, Fred’s wife Phyllis curates gifts for the home under the name Chelsea Passage. They’re aiming to compete with elegant uptown retailers…and come out on top.

In 1976 Barneys introduces the first of many new designers to America: none other than Giorgio Armani.

1980s

The apostrophe in Barneys is dropped. Artist and advertising visionary Ivan Chermayeff creates the new Barneys New York logo. Barneys establishes itself as the place where fashion-forward men and women go for innovative design. The CO-OP is born. Japanese avant-garde designers find their first home in the U.S.

2013

For Holiday 2013, Barneys New York and Shawn ‘JAY Z' Carter introduced A New York Holiday, an unprecedented collaboration celebrating the spirit of the city. Barneys New York and Mr. Carter partnered with some of the most prestigious fashion houses in the world—including Balenciaga, Balmain, Lanvin, and more—to create an exclusive, limited edition collection inspired by New York City.