Golden Bear Sportswear Brandstory
Out of a small factory on Howard Street, Golden Bear Sportswear began in 1922, crafting dockworker coats for the longshoremen who hauled cargo up and out of San Francisco Bay, their sturdy leather collars upturned against the fog and the cold.
By the 1940s, bomber jackets were added to the line, as customers sought the rugged style of the pilots who roared high above Europe in the cockpits of the Flying Tigers, Hellcats, and Flying Fortresses. Twenty-five years down the line, you could find the fringed jackets on the backs of young adults on Haight Street and sported by icons of the counterculture—the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane.
By the 1960's, Golden Bear had moved to Valencia Street, producing timeless classic coats and some new styles, too. Varsity and motorcycle jackets joined the classic bombers and dockworker coats on the racks in the brand’s showroom.
Today, jackets are cut and sewsn in a factory built against the only remaining wall of the San Francisco Missions baseball stadium. The brand is proud to offer its legacy of durable, quality outerwear—coats that will last as long as we have.
