Name Herbert Gallen Died September 22, 2007 | ||
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Organizations founded Ellen Tracy | ||
Herbert Gallen (September 15, 1915, Passaic, New Jersey – September 22, 2007) was the American chairman and owner of Ellen Tracy, Inc. for over 50 years until 2002 when it was sold to Liz Claiborne.
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Ellen Tracy was an upscale manufacturer of women's business clothes with annual sales of $200 million.
Gallen's Background
Herbert Gallen grew up in Paterson, New Jersey, the son of a fabric manufacturer and grandson of a silk mill owner. After graduating from high school, he went to work for an uncle who owned several auto supply stores. Gallen ran his own store before serving in the army, where he was still involved into the auto parts business during World War II. Because of wartime restrictions, fabric became difficult to acquire and he recognized a chance to take advantage of connections to move into the apparel industry. He produced several sample blouses using fabric obtained from a friend, which he then took to major department stores in Manhattan. He visited Franklin Simon, who immediately purchased every blouse he had, leading to a very successful launch of a new business. Gallen made up the name Ellen Tracy because he believed that a women's line should feature a woman's name. After being widowed for several years, he married Linda Allard in 2000, who had been working for him since 1962. She later became the creative force behind Ellen Tracy.
Ellen Tracy
Ellen Tracy was founded by Herbert Gallen in 1949. Originally a brand that manufactured blouses, it has now become a maker of apparel that ranges from high-end to mid-range in specialty and department stores such as Nordstrom, Macy's, and TJX stores. Located on Manhattan's Seventh Avenue, Ellen Tracy is aimed at producing garments for the professional woman.