Van Heusen is a heritage American apparel brand recognised primarily for its dress shirts, formalwear, and professional clothing. While its origins lie in the United States, the brand has established distinct market identities internationally, particularly in India and Australia. Today, Van Heusen is associated with a combination of classic tailoring, contemporary fashion, comfort, and professional style.1

Quick Facts

2

The history of Van Heusen predates the adoption of the brand name itself. In 1881, Moses Phillips and his son Isaac began selling shirts in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, initially catering to local coal miners. These early garments were hand-sewn by Moses’ wife, Endel, and their daughters before the family business expanded to New York City.

This origin story underscores that the brand’s heritage is fundamentally rooted in shirtmaking rather than general fashion design. The pivotal development in the brand’s history came from John Manning Van Heusen, a Dutch immigrant. In 1919, he obtained a patent for a process that fused fabric along a curve, enabling the creation of a soft-folding collar. This innovation maintained the polished appearance of the stiff collars popular at the time while offering significantly greater comfort.

Isaac Phillips subsequently acquired the U.S. patent, establishing the business relationship that eventually became Phillips-Van Heusen. This innovation defined the brand’s enduring identity: a balance of professional appearance, comfort, and practical innovation.

The Phillips family business merged with D. Jones & Son in 1907 to form the Phillips-Jones Corporation. Following the commercial success of the Van Heusen collar and shirt, the company increasingly centred its identity around the Van Heusen name. In 1957, the entity officially changed its name to Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation (PVH), marking its evolution from a shirt manufacturer into a major American apparel corporation.

Over subsequent decades, PVH became associated with numerous global fashion brands, including Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, although Van Heusen remained one of its core heritage labels.

Historically, Van Heusen’s strongest territory was men’s dress shirts. Throughout the 20th century, the brand became synonymous with the American professional wardrobe and eventually became the number-one dress-shirt brand in U.S. department stores. Its appeal lay in its polished appearance, reliable construction, comfortable collars, conservative styling, and accessibility compared to luxury tailoring. This positioned Van Heusen between mass-market basics and luxury menswear.

The brand gradually evolved from an American label into an international entity. A significant milestone occurred in 2000 when Phillips-Van Heusen acquired the rights to the Van Heusen trademark in Europe and Asia, securing worldwide ownership of the brand.2 Regional operators have since adapted the brand to local consumers while maintaining its broader identity.

India represents one of the most significant markets in the modern narrative of Van Heusen. The brand entered the Indian market in 1990 and developed under the stewardship of the Aditya Birla Group’s fashion business. In this market, Van Heusen is positioned as a leading premium lifestyle brand for professionals.3

Unlike a simple importation of an American heritage label, the Indian business built Van Heusen into a broader lifestyle proposition strongly associated with corporate employees, officewear, and business fashion. This positioning aligned with the rapidly expanding population of urban professionals in India from the 1990s onwards. Consequently, the brand expanded beyond traditional tailoring to present professional clothing as part of a modern corporate lifestyle.

Operational Structure in India

It is important to distinguish the brand’s global ownership from its local operations. While Van Heusen’s historical roots are American and the global trademark belongs to the PVH heritage, the Indian business is operated by the Aditya Birla Group under specific rights for that market.4 Historically part of Madura Fashion & Lifestyle, the brand now falls under Aditya Birla Lifestyle Brands Limited (ABLBL). As of 2026, ABLBL’s portfolio includes Van Heusen alongside other major brands such as Louis Philippe, Allen Solly, and Peter England.3

Van Heusen’s positioning varies by geography. Globally, the brand emphasises heritage, comfort, innovation, and a balance of classic and modern style.5 In India, the positioning is explicitly focused on the “premium professional lifestyle,” catering to needs ranging from office wear and business travel to social occasions and active lifestyles.

If personified, the brand’s personality is sophisticated, professional, confident, practical, contemporary, and refined. It is not positioned as avant-garde; rather, its design philosophy focuses on looking sharp without excessive effort, making it suitable for consumers seeking clothing that transcends fleeting fashion trends.

Distinction from Luxury Fashion

Van Heusen is distinct from luxury fashion houses such as Brioni, Zegna, or Hugo Boss. Its historical strength lies in premium accessible apparel. The value proposition offers better styling and positioning than basic mass-market clothing without requiring luxury-level price points, making it particularly competitive in the professional apparel sector.

Men’s Formalwear

Formalwear remains the heart of the brand, encompassing dress shirts, formal trousers, blazers, suits, waistcoats, and formal accessories. The brand’s heritage in collar and shirt construction gives this category particular significance.

Men’s Casualwear

The brand has expanded into everyday fashion, including casual shirts, polo shirts, T-shirts, jeans, chinos, casual trousers, and jackets.

Women’s Wear

Van Heusen has developed a significant women’s proposition, particularly in professional clothing. This range includes formal shirts, blouses, trousers, dresses, blazers, workwear, and casual clothing.

Innerwear

In India, Van Heusen Innerwear represents a major extension beyond traditional outerwear and is currently identified as a key business unit under ABLBL.6

Activewear and Athleisure

Reflecting a shift in historical identity, the brand has moved into activewear, sports-inspired clothing, loungewear, and athleisure. Van Heusen is no longer exclusively associated with office environments.

Traditionally, the archetypal Van Heusen customer was a professional man seeking a polished appearance without luxury pricing. The modern customer base is significantly broader, encompassing young professionals, corporate employees, business executives, fashion-conscious consumers, female professionals, and those interested in premium casualwear or athleisure. The brand has effectively transitioned from “business clothing” to “professional lifestyle clothing.”

Depending on the country and product category, Van Heusen competes with brands such as Arrow, Louis Philippe, Allen Solly, Peter England, Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, and Tommy Hilfiger. In India, it operates within a competitive ecosystem of premium domestic and international lifestyle brands.

Several factors distinguish Van Heusen in the marketplace:

• Longevity: Few contemporary apparel brands can trace their roots to 1881.7
• Shirtmaking Heritage: Unlike broad fashion houses, its identity originated specifically in shirts and collars.
• Product Innovation: The 1919 soft-folding collar was a patented construction innovation that helped create the brand’s identity.8
• Professional Association: The brand maintains a deep association with business and professional clothing.
• Diversification: Successful expansion from shirts to formalwear, workwear, casualwear, lifestyle, innerwear, and activewear has kept the brand relevant.

Modern Van Heusen places emphasis on sustainability and responsible production. The brand states it works with organisations and initiatives including the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Forest Stewardship Council, SmartWay Transport Partnership, and Textile Exchange, and utilises the Higg Index as part of its sustainability efforts.9

As of 2026, Van Heusen is best understood as a heritage apparel brand that has evolved into a modern lifestyle brand. While its original proposition focused on making a better, more comfortable dress shirt, its modern proposition provides polished, comfortable clothing for professional and contemporary lifestyles. In India especially, this transformation encompasses workwear, casualwear, ceremonial wear, partywear, and activewear.10 Meanwhile, its global heritage remains firmly tied to the original shirt business and the 1919 collar innovation.

1. About Us – Van Heusen
2. About Van Heusen Australia | Van Heusen Online
3. Van Heusen India | Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited
4. Is Van Heusen an Indian Brand? Origin & Ownership – Brands Scroll
5. Is Van Heusen an Indian Brand? – India Inputs
6. Brand Profile: Van Heusen – Images Business of Fashion
7. PVH Corp. Completes Sale of Heritage Brands to Authentic Brands Group
8. PVH Corp. to Exit Heritage Brands Business with Sale of IZOD, Van Heusen, ARROW and Geoffrey Beene Brands to Authentic Brands Group
9. PVH Corp. Updates 2021 Full Year Outlook in Connection With Announcement of the Sale of Its IZOD, Van Heusen, ARROW and Geoffrey Beene Brands to Authentic Brands Group and the Exit From Its Heritage Brands Business
10. sec.gov