London Fog
An American outerwear brand known for trench coats, raincoats, jackets, and parkas.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
London Fog is an American apparel brand best known for weather-resistant outerwear, especially trench coats and raincoats. Its corporate origins date to 1922–1923, when Israel Myers established the Londontown Manufacturing Company. The company developed in Baltimore, Maryland, and initially operated as a clothing manufacturer rather than as a globally marketed lifestyle label. Its early expertise centered on waterproof and protective garments, a specialization that later became the foundation of the London Fog name. During the Second World War, the company manufactured waterproof clothing for the United States Navy. After the war, it worked with DuPont on raincoat materials and developed coats with removable liners. This construction helped make the garments more versatile across changing weather conditions and contributed to their popularity in the Philadelphia market. In 1951, Myers began experimenting with cotton and polyester blends to create practical waterproof fabrics. London Fog introduced the Maincoat in 1954, positioning it as an all-season raincoat and selling it through Saks Fifth Avenue and other higher-end department stores. The Maincoat helped move the company beyond contract and functional clothing into branded consumer apparel. The company expanded substantially during the 1960s and 1970s. It became publicly traded during the 1960s, established its own stores, and broadened its assortment beyond raincoats to include jackets, other clothing, handbags, and umbrellas. By the 1970s, London Fog was described as holding a dominant position in the United States rainwear market, with the reference material stating that approximately two-thirds of U.S. raincoats sold at the time carried the brand. The company’s identity became closely associated with practical protection, American department-store distribution, and a classic British-inspired visual vocabulary built around trench coats and rainy-weather dressing. Ownership and corporate structure changed repeatedly. Interco acquired Londontown Manufacturing Company and the London Fog business in 1976. A later leveraged buyout contributed to financial pressure, and the company entered bankruptcy proceedings in 1991 before being renamed London Fog Inc. The business also moved portions of its manufacturing and administration. After flooding affected the Baltimore area in 1972, headquarters and some manufacturing operations moved in 1976 to Eldersburg, Maryland. The company briefly relocated to Darien, Connecticut, in 1994 and returned to Eldersburg within a year. A second major bankruptcy filing occurred in 1999, accompanied by the closure of more than 100 stores. In 2000, much of the office operation moved to Seattle, while the Eldersburg distribution center remained active until 2002. The company emerged from bankruptcy in 2001 after restructuring and reducing more than $100 million in debt. In 2006, Iconix Brand Group acquired the London Fog name. During the Iconix period, the brand was developed as a modern-classic outerwear label distributed through department stores, mass retailers, company-operated or standalone stores, and international channels. It expanded in China, where reference material describes more than 100 standalone stores, and was distributed through retailers including Macy’s, Nordstrom, Hudson’s Bay, Kohl’s, and Boscov’s. Marketing initiatives used celebrity ambassadors such as Eva Longoria, Nicole Scherzinger, Neil Patrick Harris, and Christina Hendricks. Collaborations and special projects associated with Jeremy Scott and the National Gallery were used to connect the heritage outerwear name with contemporary fashion and cultural audiences. London Fog remains principally identified with accessible, recognizable outerwear rather than a broad luxury fashion house. Its historical strength is the combination of functional rain protection, removable or adaptable construction, department-store reach, and a visual language derived from classic trench…
History
London Fog traces its origins to the Londontown Manufacturing Company, established by Israel Myers in Baltimore in 1922–1923. The company became a specialist in protective clothing and, during the Second World War, supplied waterproof garments for the United States Navy. After the war, it worked with DuPont on raincoat materials and developed coats featuring removable liners, an innovation that improved versatility for consumers who needed garments suitable for varying weather. Myers continued to develop fabrics during the early 1950s, experimenting with cotton and polyester blends to achieve water resistance without sacrificing everyday wearability. In 1954, the company introduced the Maincoat, an all-season raincoat marketed through Saks Fifth Avenue and other department stores. The product helped establish London Fog as a consumer-facing outerwear brand and reinforced its association with trench coats and rainwear. The brand expanded during the 1960s and 1970s. The company went public in the 1960s and later operated its own stores. Its assortment grew from raincoats to jackets, parkas, other apparel, handbags, and umbrellas. By the 1970s, London Fog had become a major force in the U.S. raincoat market. The company’s Baltimore operations were affected by flooding, including the severe regional impact of Tropical Storm Agnes in 1972. In 1976, headquarters and portions of production moved to a newer facility in Eldersburg, Maryland, although the historic Meadow Mill site continued to manufacture London Fog raincoats until 1989. Corporate ownership became increasingly complex. Interco acquired Londontown Manufacturing Company and London Fog in 1976. A subsequent leveraged buyout placed pressure on the business, which filed for bankruptcy in 1991 and was later renamed London Fog Inc. The company briefly moved its corporate location to Darien, Connecticut, in 1994 before returning to Maryland. In 1999, it filed for bankruptcy protection again and closed more than 100 stores. In 2000, most offices moved to Seattle, while the Eldersburg distribution center continued operating until 2002. The company emerged from bankruptcy in 2001 after reducing more than $100 million in debt. Iconix Brand Group acquired the London Fog name in 2006. Under Iconix ownership, the brand pursued broader international distribution, with particular expansion in China, and retained placement in major U.S. and Canadian department stores and retailers. Marketing shifted toward a heritage-meets-contemporary approach, using celebrity ambassadors and selected collaborations to refresh the brand while preserving its association with classic outerwear. London Fog appeared in the television series Mad Men as a fictional advertising client, and Christina Hendricks, one of the program’s cast members, later served as a London Fog model. The supplied material does not establish the brand’s current headquarters, exact manufacturing arrangements, or detailed present-day corporate operations.
- 2010
Christina Hendricks joins brand marketing
[1]Christina Hendricks becomes a celebrity model for London Fog after the brand’s association with Mad Men.
- 2006
Iconix Brand Group acquires the name
[1]Iconix Brand Group acquires the London Fog name and develops the brand through licensing, retail distribution, and marketing.
- 2001
Emergence from bankruptcy
[1]London Fog Industries emerges after restructuring and reducing more than $100 million in debt.
- 1999
Second bankruptcy filing
[1]London Fog files for bankruptcy protection and closes more than 100 stores.
- 1991
First major bankruptcy period
[1]Following leveraged ownership and financial pressure, the business enters bankruptcy and is subsequently renamed London Fog Inc.
- 1989
Meadow Mill production ends
[1]The historic Baltimore Meadow Mill site stops manufacturing London Fog raincoats.
- 1976
Ownership and headquarters transition
[1]Interco acquires the company, while London Fog also moves headquarters and some manufacturing activity to Eldersburg, Maryland.
- 1972
Flooding affects Baltimore operations
[1]Severe flooding in the Baltimore region contributes to later operational relocation planning.
- 1960
The company becomes publicly traded
[1]The company goes public during the 1960s as the London Fog business expands.
- 1954
Maincoat reaches department stores
[1]London Fog introduces its Maincoat all-season raincoat and sells it through Saks Fifth Avenue.
Products and positioning
A heritage American outerwear label combining practical weather protection with classic, accessible fashion.
Outerwear
Trench coats
Trench coats are the brand’s most recognizable product category. London Fog’s trench-coat heritage is linked to its long-standing focus on waterproof and weather-resistant construction, removable liners, and classic silhouettes suitable for commuting and formal or business-casual wear. The category anchors the brand’s traditional visual identity.
Outerwear · 1954
Raincoats
Raincoats formed the company’s original specialty and remained its principal commercial category through the twentieth century. The postwar business developed coated and blended fabrics, while the Maincoat helped frame rainwear as an all-season consumer product rather than strictly utilitarian protection.
All-season raincoat · 1954
Maincoat
The Maincoat was introduced in 1954 as an all-season raincoat. Its name expressed the intention that the garment could be worn throughout the year, and its distribution through Saks Fifth Avenue helped London Fog gain visibility in the premium department-store channel.
Outerwear
Jackets and parkas
London Fog expanded beyond traditional raincoats into jackets and parkas as the company broadened its apparel range. These products extend the brand’s weather-protection positioning into colder conditions and more casual daily use while retaining its practical outerwear heritage.
Accessories
Handbags
Handbags were added as part of London Fog’s wider apparel and accessories assortment during its expansion beyond rainwear. They support the brand’s broader lifestyle presentation and department-store merchandising, although the supplied sources do not identify specific collections or signature models.
Weather accessories
Umbrellas
Umbrellas complement London Fog’s core rainwear proposition and reinforce the brand’s association with wet-weather protection. They were among the accessories offered as the company expanded its assortment beyond coats and other garments.
Marketing campaigns
- 2010Christina Hendricks celebrity campaign
United States
London Fog contracted Christina Hendricks as a celebrity model following the brand’s visibility through her role in Mad Men. The association connected London Fog’s classic outerwear image with contemporary television culture.
Outcome. The campaign is documented as part of the brand’s celebrity-led marketing during the Iconix ownership period; the supplied sources do not provide performance metrics.
- Celebrity ambassador program
United States · International
During the Iconix period, London Fog used celebrity ambassadors including Eva Longoria, Nicole Scherzinger, and Neil Patrick Harris to refresh its heritage image and increase visibility beyond traditional rainwear customers.
Outcome. The program supported broader brand visibility, but the supplied material does not specify campaign dates or measured results.
Brand decisions
2006
Iconix acquisition of the London Fog nameM&ABackground
After bankruptcy restructuring, the London Fog name was positioned for renewed licensing, retail, and international development.
Action taken
Iconix Brand Group acquired the London Fog name and planned to market it alongside other established fashion brands.
Aftermath
The brand expanded its distribution, celebrity marketing, and presence in China and other international markets.
Acquisition consideration. (2006)
1999
Bankruptcy restructuring and retail contractionStrategyBackground
The company faced financial pressure after earlier ownership changes and leveraged financing.
Action taken
London Fog filed for bankruptcy protection and closed more than 100 stores.
Aftermath
Offices were later consolidated in Seattle, and the company emerged from bankruptcy in 2001 after substantial debt reduction.
Debt reduction. More than $100 million of debt shed (By 2001)
1976
Interco acquisitionM&ABackground
London Fog was acquired during a period when the brand had become a major U.S. rainwear business.
Action taken
Interco acquired the Londontown Manufacturing Company and the London Fog business.
Aftermath
The transaction began a period of changing ownership and later financial restructuring.
Recent events
- 2010
Christina Hendricks becomes a London Fog celebrity model[1]
Campaign
Mad Men cast member Christina Hendricks was contracted as a celebrity model for London Fog.
- 2006
Iconix Brand Group acquires the London Fog name[1]
M&A
Iconix Brand Group acquired the London Fog name in a transaction described as involving cash and stock consideration, and planned to develop the label alongside other fashion brands.
- 2001
London Fog emerges from bankruptcy after debt reduction[1]
Bankruptcy
London Fog Industries was reported to have emerged from bankruptcy after restructuring and shedding more than $100 million in debt.
- 1999
London Fog files for bankruptcy protection and closes more than 100 stores[1]
Bankruptcy
The company entered bankruptcy protection during a period of restructuring and reduced its retail footprint by closing more than 100 stores.
- 1976
Interco acquires Londontown Manufacturing Company and London Fog[1]
M&A
Interco acquired the company behind the London Fog brand, beginning a new phase of corporate ownership.
Sources1 sources
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