The company that created and owns the brand, originally Brawn of California, started in 1974–1975, has since been sold in its entirety in 1987 to Hanover Direct, based in New Jersey.
Brawn of California, and all brands in its portfolio, is now owned by New Jersey-based group Hanover Direct, which purchased the company in 1987 when founder Gene Burkard retired.
Undergear is now the sole catalog and web site and incorporates the non-underwear items that would earlier have been in the International Male catalog-website.
Over the years, many famous models and actors have posed for the catalog, such as Shemar Moore, Cameron Mathison, Charles Dera, Christian Boeving, David Chokachi, Gregg Avedon, Reichen Lehmkuhl, Rusty Joiner, Brandon Marcel and Scott King.
At one point, Brawn of California partnered with World Financial Network Bank (WFNNB) to offer their customers a credit card.