Founded in 1920, New Era’s success is rooted in its long baseball history. The company began producing game caps for Major League Baseball teams in 1934, and by the 1950s, it had become the largest cap manufacturer for the National League Baseball (NLB). Did you know that the iconic 59FIFTY cap dates back to that time? It was designed in 1954 by Harold Koch, the son of New Era’s founder Ehrhard Koch. Today, New Era’s CEO, Christopher Koch, represents the fourth generation of the original Koch family.
New Era became an inseparable part of street fashion in the 1990s when director Spike Lee had the brand create a red New York Yankees cap to match his Yankees jacket. Up until that point, New Era caps were only available in team colors, but Spike Lee opened the door to a new era of customization.