Since 1920, New Era has manufactured headwear for athletes. What started as part of the baseball uniform has grown to become the official cap of the Major League Baseball, the NFL, the NBA, and the WNBA.   

With an expansive portfolio of global licenses, the addition of apparel and accessories lines, and a 1,000-plus worldwide retail store network, the brand is a market leader rooted in sports and an influencer of street and lifestyle culture worldwide. 

Headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y., and its products sold in over 125 countries, New Era is celebrating the 70th Anniversary of its fitted cap with Global 59FIFTY Day with special collections and activations on May 9.

New Era’s 59FIFTY is “a cultural icon that moved the cap from something worn by ballplayers and young kids onto red carpets, fashion runways, and the biggest music stages in the world,” reported New Era.

New Era will launch its 59FIFTY Day collection with limited-edition styles to celebrate its 70 year history.

“What started as a practical piece of the baseball uniform has become an influencer of global style – from streetwear and luxury fashion to music, art, and culture” said Mark Maidment, senior vice president of Brand at New Era Cap. “For the past seven decades, the 59FIFTY has been the epitome of authenticity, staying true to its core while serving as a canvas for expression. Its iconic silhouette is recognized around the world, favored by artists and designers who collaborate with New Era and by stylists who have incorporated the cap into looks for everything from music videos to red carpet moments. On this 70th Anniversary of the 59FIFTY, we’re proud to celebrate New Era’s history and enduring impact.”

History of the 59FIFTY
In 1954, Harold Koch, son of company founder Ehrhardt Koch, envisioned a more contemporary design for the original professional baseball caps. His design included a 22-step production process that injected more style into the cap, strengthening the visor stitching and creating stiffer crowns suited for more defined logos. There are four hallmarks of the authentic 59FIFTY—a structured front panel for stability and classic cap shape, a full crown that provides a tall and broad profile, a curvable flat visor, and a closed-back style available in true fitted sizing.

Global Cultural Influence
The 59FIFTY has been the canvas for many collaborations—from Fear of God and Supreme to Gucci and Helmut Lang. Set Free Richardson, the documentary maker and the founder behind Compound, celebrated the impact of the 59FIFTY on sport and culture with a documentary that will be released this summer across various media channels worldwide. 

Celebration Highlights
The New Era limited-edition 59FIFTY Day collection celebrating 70 years of the fitted cap include:

  • Each cap will have a custom 59FIFTY Day interior label in black and gold. A limited number of MLB, NBA and NFL teams will be featured in a heather gray wool and a poly white-grey style.
  • The New Era-branded collection will include NE script caps, fitted size caps, and a black 59FIFTY Fitted A-Frame with a trucker fuse front and a soft trucker mesh mid and rear panel. The front logo will feature a gold New Era script logo.
  • New Era will also highlight its international flavor with three caps that feature specialty Japanese wool fabric with “dazzle fabric” for the interior taping, giving the design a throwback feel. The caps include a heathered grey retro crown fitted with “New Era Cap Buffalo, NY EST 1920” embroidered on the front with “The 5950” logo embroidered on the rear; a Navy Circle low-profile fitted with the New Era script embroidered on the front “The 5950” logo embroidered on the rear; and a black fitted with the New Era script embroidered on the front and “The 5950” logo embroidered on the rear.

FFALO arrives Globally
Celebrating New Era’s “global prominence,” the company will make the FFALO figurine available worldwide for the first time. The character originated with the Brand’s Korea design team and pays tribute to New Era’s founding city and global headquarters, Buffalo, NY. FALLO has collaborated with internationally recognized licenses, art toy designers and others, including the MLB, the NBA and K-Pop sensation BTS.

59FIFTY Day Celebrations Planned Worldwide
On May 9, select MLB teams will celebrate 59FIFTY Day with in-stadium activities. Several of New Era’s retail partners will host in-store or online events, and New Era’s flagship stores worldwide will launch activations. In Buffalo, NY, Mayor Brown officially proclaimed May 9, 2024 as “59FIFTY Day” in Buffalo.

For more product information, go here.