Lost To Time

Your closet probably still holds secrets. It could be a blazer with a mysterious label or jeans that fit better than anything you've bought in a long time. These phantom brands once ruled shopping centers across America, but are now merely relics of the past. So, here are 20 discontinued fashion brands we wish were still around.

1. Gimbels

Picture the world's largest department store empire of the 1930s. That was Gimbels, showing off sales of $123 million across twenty locations. After 145 years of operation, the store closed in 1987, leaving behind memories of magical Christmas displays and affordable apparel for middle-class America.

2. B. Altman & Co.

Benjamin Altman revolutionized shopping when he moved his outlet from the Lower East Side to Fifth Avenue's mansion district in 1906. Unlike competitors who diversified product lines, Altman's specialized in women's luxury clothing, becoming the first major retailer to abandon the Ladies' Mile shopping district.

3. Strawbridge & Clothier

Founded by Justus Strawbridge and Isaac Clothier, the company built an empire that stretched from Center City Philadelphia to the New Jersey shore. Their massive flagship store dominated the corner of Eighth and Market Streets, complete with a wild boar statue that was considered a beloved landmark.

4. Bonwit Teller

From the ashes of a failed millinery shop rose one of Fifth Avenue's most sophisticated style destinations. Bonwit Teller & Co. was an American luxury establishment in New York City. Paul Bonwit partnered with Edmund Teller in 1897, creating a temple to high-end women's fashion.

5. Joyce Leslie

The teenage mecca of the 1980s and 1990s disappeared as suddenly as the trends it once championed. Joyce Leslie carved out a unique niche selling affordable, trendy clothes to young ladies. It was a go-to destination for prom dresses, club wear, and the latest trendy fads.

6. Loehmann's

In 1921, Frieda Loehmann opened her first outlet in Brooklyn, displaying designer clothes at drastically reduced prices. Loehmann's peaked at around 100 stores in 17 states, liquidated in 2014 after many bankruptcies. The chain became famous for its communal dressing rooms, which were a radical concept.

7. Barney's New York

Manhattan's temple of avant-garde style breathed its last in 2020 following years of financial struggles. It had started as a men's discount clothing store in 1923 and turned into America's most influential place under the guidance of Fred Pressman and later his son Gene.

8. Wet Seal

Orange County's gift to teenage fashion lasted 55 years before drowning in a sea of discount clearance sales. The journey began in 1962 when Lorne Huycke opened a beachwear shop called "Lorne's" in Newport Beach. The "Wet Seal" name allegedly came from Huycke's wife.

9. Henri Bendel

The brown and white striped shopping bags became as iconic as the luxury goods they carried during Henri Bendel's 105-year run on Fifth Avenue. The store gained legendary status for discovering new talent. Apparently, Andy Warhol designed window displays there in the 1960s.

10. Lord & Taylor

Set up in 1826 by Samuel Lord and George Washington Taylor, Lord & Taylor pioneered many retail innovations Americans now take for granted. These include fixed prices instead of bargaining and seasonal sales. The Fifth Avenue flagship's Christmas windows became a cherished New York tradition.

11. Contempo Casuals

Let’s talk about the mall staple that defined casual chic for an entire generation. It vanished in 2001, taking with it the aesthetic that bridged the gap between teenage trends and adult sophistication. The brand specialized in contemporary sportswear, including blazers, coordinated separates, and accessories.

12. The Limited

Fast fashion existed decades before Zara and H&M made it mainstream. Inaugurated by Leslie Wexner in 1963 with just $10,000 borrowed from family, The Limited grew from a single 2,000-square-foot store in Columbus, Ohio, to over 700 locations nationwide by the mid-1990s.

13. Syms

Syms gained recognition for the slogan "An educated consumer is our best customer." Unfortunately, it had to close down all its locations in December 2011 after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, along with its subsidiary Filene's Basement, which it had acquired in 2009.

14. Gottschalks

California's last remaining family-owned department store chain succumbed to bankruptcy in 2009. This was the end of 103 years of serving West Coast shoppers with personalized service and community connections. The store had begun as a dry goods shop serving the agricultural Central Valley.

15. Casual Corner

Here, we were able to buy reliable blazers, coordinated separates, and affordable professional attire. Casual Corner used to specialize in career clothing for women. It then said goodbye in 2005 after the parent company, Casual Male Retail Group, decided to focus on men's big and tall clothing.

16. Merry-Go-Round

At its peak, Merry-Go-Round operated nearly 1,000 shops across 39 states, primarily in enclosed shopping malls, catering to men and women aged 15 to 35. The chain was famous for offering a wide range of styles, from denim jeans to prom gowns.

17. Gadzooks

Teenage rebellion found its uniform at Gadzooks, where punk rock met mall culture in a storm of black clothing, band merchandise, and alternative accessories. The brand carved out a distinct niche in the late 1980s and 1990s by marketing concert tees, vintage-inspired jeans, and edgy accessories.

18. Arden B

Two decades of providing party dresses, work attire, and weekend wear for fashion-conscious young adults were just closed in 2015. The outlet was launched by Wet Seal in 1998 as an upscale sister brand targeting women aged 20–35. It mainly sold figure-flattering dresses and tailored blazers.

19. Filene's

This family business had become synonymous with New England shopping. Filene's was founded by William Filene in 1881 and became famous nationwide for its basement bargain department, where merchandise was automatically marked down every few days until it sold or was given to charity.

20. Daffy's

In Elizabeth, New Jersey, Irving Schulman established "Daffy Dan's Bargain Town" in 1961. The store gained notoriety for its oddball advertising and catchphrase, "clothing bargains for millionaires." Designer brands were once up to 80% off standard pricing at this unforgettable location.