With origins dating to a family business in 1872 Chicago and incorporated in 1911 as "Hart Schaffner & Marx",[1] the company is now located in Des Plaines, Illinois.

During that period, Hart, Schaffner & MArx closed ten domestic factories and shifted production to China, Mexico, and Costa Rica.

Expansion continued in this period with the acquisition in late 1996 of bankrupt Plaid Clothing Group, Inc., a maker and marketer of men's tailored suits, sportcoats, and slacks; Pusser's Ltd., including the Pusser's of the West Indies line of nautical and tropical sportswear and outerwear in 1998; and in December 1998; Coppley, Noyes and Randall Limited, a leading Canadian maker of men's tailored clothing.

Senator Barack Obama wore the brand extensively, including suits tailored especially for his acceptance speech and the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Address.

Beginning in fall 1894, dealers that carried the company's clothes ran illustrated newspaper ads throughout the Midwest and Plains states.

[14] Beginning in 1898, the company ran its own ads in U.S. mass-audience magazines including The Youth's Companion, Century, Saturday Evening Post, and Ladies' Home Journal.

[15] Starting in the early 1890s, Hart, Schaffner & Marx commissioned well-known illustrators to create artwork for its advertisements, style books, direct mail literature, and retail posters.

These illustrators included Henry Benjamin Wechsler, J. C. Leyendecker, Samuel Nelson Abbott, Edward Penfield, Herbert Paus, Leon Gordon, and John Sheridan.

[18] The Hart, Schaffner & Marx brand name and identity dates back to the company's advertising and marketing efforts in the early 1890s.

In 1966 television host Johnny Carson walked on stage to deliver his nightly Tonight Show monologue wearing a turtleneck sweater and a collarless Nehru jacket.

Because of the overwhelming popularity of the style, Hart Schaffner & Marx entered into an agreement to market a new casual line of suits under the Johnny Carson name and later, under the Bobby Jones and Jack Nicklaus brands.

In 1974 the company rolled out a line of tailored clothing under the Christian Dior name, followed by Nino Cerruti, Allyn St. George, and Playboy.

In 1996, with the acquisition of Plaid Clothing Group, Inc., brands including Burberry, Liz Claiborne, Evan-Picone, Palm Beach, and Brannoch were added to the Hartmarx stable.