Gary Comer (1927 – 2006) the late founder of Lands’ End was a world-class sailor and award winning advertising copywriter. When he realised his ambition of starting his own business he wanted the company name to reflect the sense of adventure he was feeling, the exhilaration of sailing into waters unknown. Lands’ End fitted the bill.
When the company began back in 1963 in Chicago Lands’ End was a sailboat equipment company, from those humble beginnings they have expanded in to a multi-channel mail order company that today delivers outstanding ranges of own-brand clothing, footwear and outerwear. The global HQ is in rural Wisconsin, USA.
The United Kingdom headquarters is in equally rural Rutland (miles away from the tip of Cornwall which shares the name).
The aberrant apostrophe, often people ask why the apostrophe in Lands’ End is in the wrong place, the truth is, it was a simple mistake, a typographical error in their first printed piece, and Gary Comer could not afford to get it reprinted. To this day the aberrant apostrophe has carried on gracing the Lands’ End name and while it has caused a few raised eyebrows among English teachers, it also shows that Lands’ End has a on going concern for what is best for the customer and is unmistakably human.
The entire Lands End Clothing collection can be bought online at www.landsend.co.uk
