it’s weird to think about how the incredible american brand, Fossil (hence the puntastic title), has only been around for 30 years. you’d think with their classic and authentic aesthetic, they’d been around for longer than that, so in commemoration of their big milestone, i thought we should take a look at their history…
born in 1984 in Dallas, Texas, Fossil literally had 5 employees. but that did little to curb their enthusiasm, because by 1989, they began using their now iconic tins. the tins were influenced by the colourful tins of the ’40s and ’50s, and Fossil really wanted to give people something that they could keep and collect. it’s sustainable packaging, yet also creative.
in 1991, they launched their first road transportation watches in car shaped tins – perfectly encapsulating their love for the open road. just a year later, they started their first range of leather women’s goods, soon followed by a men’s range. ten years after their inception, in 1994, they celebrated with a ’50s-inspired-Fred Fossil-commemorative watch, and in 1995, they introduced their first range of male and female sunglasses!
before Fossil opened over 400 stores in 120 countries, they had to take the first step, and that they did in 1998 with their first accessories store in the Netherlands. the turn of the century called for more branching out, so Fossil Style was born with clothes for him and her. the designs were also influenced by ’50s and ’60s imagery, mid-century architecture, travel, and a unique style that is the Fossil touch. packaged in-house, Fossil wanted to incorporate functionality and style in their bags, traditional watches that had untraditional hues/materials, and timeless clothes and accessories.
in 2006, Fossil jewelry launched in the US, bring them vintage-inspired bracelets, necklaces and earrings. 2010 was a year in which they were proudly made in the USA, teaming up with authentic American denim manufacturers to supply their denim.
2011 was a year of big things: their award-winning headquarters in dallas was transformed into a creative hub – from an amphitheater to a full library and a colourful tin wall. in 2013, they combined American ingenuity with Swiss engineering and gave the world Fossil Swiss.
and that brings us to the present, where Fossil celebrates their 30 years of timeless timepieces by inviting design-adept fans to create their own travel-inspired tins for 2014… and that only leaves us to the future, where Fossil is gonna keep on keepin’ on, giving you well-crafted and designed pieces that’ll help you get where you’re going, on time and looking good, too.
happy 30th, fossil! here’s to 30 more 🙂
