Lands' End apparel

Lands' End is a legendary American brand founded in 1963 in Chicago, Illinois, by Gary Comer and a group of sailing enthusiasts. Originally established as a mail-order yachting supply venture called 'Lands' End Yacht Stores,' a typographical error in its first catalog famously misplaced the apostrophe—a mistake the founder kept to save on reprinting costs. By the late 1970s, the company shifted its focus from sailing gear to casual clothing and home goods, later relocating its headquarters to Dodgeville, Wisconsin, where it remains today.

Ownership of the brand has seen several major transitions. After going public in 1986, it was acquired by Sears, Roebuck and Co. in 2002 for approximately $2 billion. In 2014, Sears spun it off as an independent public company (NASDAQ: LE). Most recently, in early 2026, Lands' End entered into a transformative joint venture with WHP Global, a brand management giant. Under this agreement, WHP Global acquired a 50% controlling interest in the brand's intellectual property to accelerate international licensing and category expansion, while Lands' End continues to manage its core direct-to-consumer and business-to-business operations.

Manufacturing for Lands' End is global, with products primarily sourced from a wide network of contractors in countries such as India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and China, along with some specialized domestic production in the United States.