From its beginnings in 1876 to the modern, performance-driven products of today, Jockey celebrates a legacy built on comfort, quality and continual innovation.
Few apparel brands can claim to have dressed generations of the same family. Fewer still can say they have been doing it for 150 years.
In 2026, Jockey celebrates a century and a half of crafting comfort, marking a journey that began in the United States in 1876 and evolved into one of the world’s most recognised underwear and apparel brands.
For South Africans, the milestone has particular significance. Jockey has been part of the country’s story for 75 of those 150 years, building a strong local presence and becoming a familiar name in South African households across generations.
While fashions, lifestyles and consumer expectations have changed dramatically over that time, Jockey’s commitment to comfort, quality and fit has remained constant. What has continually evolved is how the brand delivers against that promise.
“Generations of South Africans have grown up knowing and wearing Jockey. But longevity alone isn’t enough,” says Nombuso Ncapai, Marketing Manager at Jockey South Africa. “To remain relevant, you have to keep listening, learning and evolving with your consumer while protecting the values that made them trust you in the first place.”
150 years of evolving comfort
Jockey’s story began in 1876 with socks, before the business expanded and developed into the underwear and apparel brand recognised around the world today.
Across the decades, the sense of comfort has changed. Consumers have demanded better fits, improved fabrics, greater freedom of movement, more inclusive solutions and products that perform across increasingly varied lifestyles.
For Jockey, responding to those changing needs has meant continually refining how products are designed and made while remaining rooted in the principles of quality, comfort and craftsmanship.
This philosophy sits behind the brand’s 150th anniversary platform, Crafting Comfort.
“For us, Crafting Comfort is about more than making something soft or comfortable to wear,” says Ncapai. “It is about continually improving fit, fabrication, construction and functionality to solve real needs for consumers.”
75 years woven into the South African story
For over seven decades, the Jockey brand has been manufactured and distributed locally and has become part of the wardrobes of generations of South Africans.
This local history reflects decades of local manufacturing, skills and employment, as well as the continued evolution of products for the South African market.
It is this combination of global heritage and local relevance that has helped Jockey remain resilient through decades of change.
“Being part of South Africa for 75 years is something we are incredibly proud of,” says Ncapai. “Jockey has not simply been sold in this market; we have built a business here, manufactured locally and been part of the livelihoods of South African families over many decades.”
The Anniversary Edit: past, present and future
To commemorate the milestone, Jockey has curated a limited-edition 150th Anniversary Edit designed to tell the story of the brand’s evolution through product.
Rather than creating a collection focused purely on nostalgia, the edit brings together products that represent different chapters of the Jockey story – from the core essentials and silhouettes that helped establish the brand’s reputation, through to contemporary products that demonstrate advances in fabrication, fit, functionality and performance.
The result is a collection that looks both backwards and forwards: celebrating where Jockey has come from while demonstrating how the brand continues to redefine comfort for modern consumers.
“The Anniversary Edit is ultimately a story of progression. The needs of our consumers continue to change, and our job is to keep finding better ways to meet them,” explains Ncapai. “It taps into a renewed appreciation for heritage and archival design, with selected elements referencing Jockey’s history while being reinterpreted through contemporary fabrics, fits and construction.”
This is the same balance that has allowed Jockey to remain relevant globally for a century and a half.
Looking ahead to the next 150
While the anniversary provides an opportunity to celebrate Jockey’s history, the brand is focused firmly on the future.
Changing consumer expectations, new technologies, digital commerce and increasingly fluid lifestyles are continuing to reshape the apparel industry.
“Reaching 150 years is an extraordinary milestone, but we don’t see it as a finish line,” says Ncapai. “Our challenge is to take everything consumers have trusted us for – comfort, quality, fit and craftsmanship – and continually find new ways to make those things meaningful for the next generation.”
The Jockey 150th Anniversary Edit will be available in South Africa from September 2026.
Visit Jockey South Africa online for more information: www.jockey.co.za
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Featured Image: Supplied
