Henry Grethel

By October 17, 1887, Gustave was a member of the Baker's Union in Syracuse.

He is the son of Frederick Grethel (1888–1967) of Syracuse and Mary Elizabeth Mellen (1893–1976) of Williamstown, New York.

Frederick Grethel Sr. (1888–1967), Henry's father, was the son of Gustave M. Grethel (1849–1916) who was born in April 1849, in Baden Wuerttemberg, Germany.

Together, Fred and Mary had five children, in order: Leona Grethel (born 1917), Carolyn Evelyn Grethel (1918–1997), Anna Mae Grethel (born 1921), Frederick W. "Fred" Grethel, Jr. (1923–1944) and Henry E. Grethel (born 1931).

Henry was raised on Ross Park on the city's north side.

His father, the son of German immigrants, was a "master plumber" and owned his own plumbing shop in Syracuse.

Henry E. Grethel (born November 20, 1931) is an American fashion designer, merchandiser and marketer.

He was born in Syracuse, New York, and is known for his American sportswear collections which make use of sophisticated colors and fine fabrics.

Henry Grethel was born in 1931 and was youngest of five children.

He was a member of the U.S. Army, 401st Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division and was awarded the Purple Heart.

Fred was buried in Colleville-sur-Mer, France at the Normandy American Cemetery.

When Henry was 12, his older brother, Sergeant Frederick W. Grethel, Jr., 22, a glider pilot during World War II, was killed in action on June 19, 1944, in the American airborne landings in Normandy.

Henry graduated from North High School in Syracuse in June 1949.

By September 1950, he was a student at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky.

He transferred to Syracuse University in September 1951, and attended the College of Business Administration where he was a marketing major.

His major topic of study was "sales marketing".

He graduated from Syracuse University in June 1954, at age 22 with a Bachelor of Science degree and was selected as "Outstanding" student in the topic of marketing.

The selection was based on his scholastic record as well as his contributions to the college concerning his topic of study.

During his years at Syracuse, Grethel was social chairman of Sigma Chi fraternity, a popular organization on campus, and was treasurer of the American Marketing Association.

He worked during college with a sales job at Wells & Coverly, a stylish men's clothing store located on South Salina Street in Downtown Syracuse, now defunct.

While in college, Grethel interviewed with C. P. Hathaway Company, a designer and manufacturer of men's shirts, however, he accepted a "practical" job with Recordak Corp., subsidiary of Eastman Kodak Co. in New York City where he spent 2½ years "microfilming" records.

In 1957 Grethel finally quit his job at Eastman Kodak and accepted a job with Hathaway.

The company offices were located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he quickly relocated.

His first job at Hathaway concerned sales, however, he soon became Hathaway's chief designer and marketing director.

In 1965 he was promoted to product manager of the Hathaway "Club Line."

Soon afterward he was promoted to product manager and stylist for the company's dress shirt division.

By 1968, Grethel was appointed to a newly created job at Hathaway, by then a division of Warnaro Inc., as vice-president of merchandising and marketing.

In 1971 Grethel became president of Eagle Shirtmakers.

In July 1973, Grethel, age 41, was named president of the Manhattan Shirt Company.

In 1974, he introduced John Henry style shirts and by 1976 autumn the John Henry for women line was initiated.

Grethel's name was seen first with other trade names: Henry Grethel for Lanvin, Henry Grethel for Pierre Cardin.

Since 1978, when his first collection debuted, Grethel has been concerned mainly with the design and manufacture of apparel for both men and women.

He also spent many years designing shirts for Lanvin, Pierre Cardin and Christian Dior

In addition to holding executive positions with such major apparel companies as C. F. Hathaway Company, Eagle Shirtmakers, and Manhattan Industries, Grethel originated and developed the John Henry brand of men's and women's wear.

He then debuted his own collections for men and women with his trademarks—- Henry Grethel, Equipment by Henry Grethel, Henry Grethel Platinum, and Henry Grethel Studio.

However, In 1978, as president of Manhattan Shirt Company, he started designing using his own name alone, first a men's collection, then women's, sportswear and dress wear.

After viewing some of his sketches, the United States Olympic Committee invited Henry Grethel to design and oversee production of both the winter and summer parade uniforms for Team USA for the 1992 Olympics.

In 1995, he was president of Henry Grethel Apparel, part of Hartmarx Corp.

By 2005, Grethel was president of HG Design International, Henry Grethel Apparel.

The company designs clothing in classic designs.