Kennington

Kennington Ltd. was established in Los Angeles, California in 1957 by Stan Tendler in his parents’ garage. Not wanting to sound like an upstart company, the name Kennington was selected out of an atlas because it had the air of a long-established business. The “Kennington Man” seen on the brand’s label since its inception is also a nod to that imaginary heritage.

The fledgling company sold its wares to small specialty shops, and scored a hit with one of its first garments – an Ivy League button-down shirt, but with a twist. It featured a smaller collar and a variety of counter-culture influenced prints.

Kennington has long been associated with California surf culture. In the early-1960s, its causal cotton shirts and board shorts found favor with the Malibu surfers, and the company even partnered with the newly formed Malibu Surf Association, now one of the oldest surf clubs in the world.

Kennington made a foray into polyester and jersey blend “disco” shirts with its Chemise Et Cie line in the 1970s, and was the first clothing brand to license Disney characters, eventually becoming Disney’s largest apparel licensee.

The 1980s saw the company add a western wear line with its Rocking K Ranchwear label, as well as an athletic wear line, Winner Wear. It also revived its early Hawaiian-style shirts under the Maui Trading Company label, and some of the club-wear shirts of the 1970s under the Impulse moniker, updating the cuts and fabrics.

In the 1990s Kennington Ltd. Classics reprised the ever-popular button-down shirts rounding-out the “heritage” lines.

Kennington is still a family-owned business. With second-generation CEO, Lance Tendler at the helm, the company remains a uniquely Southern California lifestyle brand, committed to ethical, environmentally-aware local production.

Written by Ranch Queen Vintage