New Era's Iconic Fitted Cap Celebrates 70th Anniversary with Global 59FIFTY Day

The brand will showcase the style's impact at the intersection of sport, fashion and culture with special collections and activations on May 9

BUFFALO, N.Y., May 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- For 70 years, it's been the cap athletes wear at the most joyous moments of their careers – from draft day to championship parades. What started as part of the baseball uniform has grown into the official cap of the world's premier sports leagues, from Major League Baseball to the NFL, the NBA and the WNBA.   

But New Era's 59FIFTY is more than just another cap. It's a cultural icon that moved the cap from something worn by ballplayers and young kids onto red carpets, fashion runways, and the biggest music stages in the world.

New Era Cap, LLC, the international sports and lifestyle brand that has been revolutionizing headwear for decades, will celebrate the 70^th anniversary of the famous true fitted cap on 59FIFTY Day (May 9) with special collections and on-site activations at MLB parks, various retail locations and New Era stores globally.

"What started as a practical piece of the baseball uniform has become an influencer of global style – from streetwear and luxury fashion, to music, art, and culture" said Mark Maidment, Senior Vice President of Brand at New Era Cap. "For the past seven decades, the 59FIFTY has been the epitome of authenticity, staying true to its core while serving as a canvas for expression. Its iconic silhouette is recognized around the world, favored by artists and designers who collaborate with New Era and by stylists who have incorporated the cap into looks for everything from music videos to red carpet moments. On this 70^th anniversary of the 59FIFTY, we're proud to celebrate New Era's history and enduring impact."

What makes the 59FIFTY unique?

It started in 1954 when Harold Koch, son of company founder Ehrhardt Koch, envisioned a more contemporary design for the original professional baseball caps. His innovative design included a 22-step production process that injected more style into the cap, including strengthening the visor stitching and creating stiffer crowns suited for more defined logos.

The 59FIFTY was born.

There are four hallmarks of the authentic 59FIFTY – a structured front panel for stability and classic cap shape, a full crown that provides a tall and broad profile, a curvable flat visor, and a closed-back style available in true fitted sizing.

Influencing global culture

The silhouette not only became a mainstay on the sporting scene but became part of the creative movement of streetwear, which adopted New Era's design and incorporated the 59FIFTY into its fashion-driving, sneaker-pairing style.

The 59FIFTY has been the canvas for many collaborations – from the modern brands Fear of God and Supreme to the luxury fashion houses of Gucci and Helmut Lang.

Debuting the 59FIFTY Documentary

Set Free Richardson, renowned documentary maker and the founder and force behind Compound, celebrated the impact of the 59FIFTY on sport and culture with a documentary that will be released this summer across various media channels worldwide. 

Celebrating 70 years with new styles

New Era will launch its 59FIFTY Day collection with a variety of unique and limited-edition styles to celebrate 70 years of the fitted cap. Among the highlights of the collection:

• Each cap will have a custom 59FIFTY Day interior label in black and gold. A limited number of MLB, NBA and NFL teams will be featured in both a heather gray wool and a poly white-grey style.
• The New Era-branded collection will include NE script caps and fitted size caps along with a black 59FIFTY Fitted A-Frame with a trucker fuse front and a soft trucker mesh mid and rear panel. The front logo will feature a gold New Era script logo.
• The brand will also highlight its international flavor with three caps that feature specialty Japanese wool fabric with "dazzle fabric" for the interior taping, giving the design a throwback feel. The caps include a heathered grey retro crown fitted with "New Era Cap Buffalo, NY EST 1920" embroidered on the front with "The 5950" logo embroidered on the rear; a Navy Circle low-profile fitted with the New Era script embroidered on the front and "The 5950" logo embroidered on the rear; and a black fitted with the New Era script embroidered on the front and "The 5950" logo embroidered on the rear.

FFALO arrives on the global stage

Celebrating the brand's global prominence, New Era will make the FFALO figurine available worldwide for the first time. The character originated with the brand's Korea Design Team and pays tribute to New Era's founding city and global headquarters, Buffalo, New York. FALLO has collaborated with internationally recognized licenses, art toy designers and others, including Major League Baseball, the NBA and K-Pop sensation BTS.

59FIFTY Day celebrations planned worldwide

Additionally, on May 9, select Major Baseball League teams will celebrate 59FIFTY Day with in-stadium activities. Several of New Era's retail partners will be hosting in-store or online events, and New Era's flagship stores worldwide will launch activations. In Buffalo, N.Y., where the brand was born and remains headquartered, Mayor Byron W. Brown has officially proclaimed May 9, 2024 as "59FIFTY Day" in the City of Buffalo.

To shop New Era's 59FIFTY Day collection, visit 59FIFTY.com

ABOUT NEW ERA CAP: Since 1920, New Era has been hand-crafting the finest headwear in the world. Today, with an expansive portfolio of global licenses, the addition of apparel and accessories lines, and 1,000+ worldwide retail store network, the brand is a market leader rooted in sports and an influencer of street and lifestyle culture around the world. The Company is headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y., and its products are sold in more than 125 countries. For more information on New Era's global offices and partnerships, visit www.neweracap.com and social channels @neweracap. 

PRESS CONTACT:
John Mackowiak
The Martin Group for New Era Cap, Inc.
518-618-1175 | [email protected]

SOURCE New Era Cap LLC