The Men's Dress Furnishings Association was a trade association based in New York, New York which promoted men's fashion accessories with a primary focus on dress shirts and neckties. The group also educated consumers at high schools and colleges.
Founded in 1947 as the Men's Tie Foundation, they changed their name to the Neckwear Association of America in 1978. In 2003, due to a decline in its membership as a result of manufacturers closing, consolidating, or losing business to overseas competition, the Association added dress shirt manufacturers to boost their membership and became the Men's Dress Furnishings Association.
The group announced in 2008 that it was shutting down after 60 years. Membership in the group had declined from a high of 120 manufacturers in the 1980s to 25 in 2008. Increased competition from manufacturers outside the United States as well as the declining number of men wearing ties was cited.
Famous quotes containing the words men, dress and/or association:
“It is the dissimilarities and inequalities among men which give rise to the notion of honor; as such differences become less, it grows feeble; and when they disappear, it will vanish too.”
—Alexis de Tocqueville (18051859)
“Any affectation whatsoever in dress implies, in my mind, a flaw in the understanding.”
—Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (16941773)
“In this great association we know no North, no South, no East, no West. This has been our pride for all these years. We have no political party. We never have inquired what anybodys religion is. All we ever have asked is simply, Do you believe in perfect equality for women? This is the one article in our creed.”
—Susan B. Anthony (18201906)