{{Short description|Australian work clothing brand}} {{Use Australian English|date=January 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}} {{Infobox company |name = KingGee |logo = |type = |genre = |foundation = {{Start date and age|1926}} |founder = |location_city = Sydney, Australia |location_country = |location = <!--modifies "Headquarters" entry--> |key_people = |area_served = |industry = Workwear |products = Shoes, apparel, |services = |revenue = |operating_income = |net_income = |num_employees = |parent = |divisions = |subsid = |owner = Workwear Group |caption = |homepage = {{URL|https://www.kinggee.com/}} |dissolved = }}
'''KingGee''' (formerly known as '''King Gee''') is an Australian work wear brand. The name is said to have originated from the reigning monarch at the time, King George V, and was an expression that meant 'tops' or 'the best'.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.joseflebovicgallery.com/pages/books/CL171-121/king-gee-shorts|title=King Gee Shorts on Josef Lebovic Gallery|last=www.bibliopolis.com|website=Josef Lebovic Gallery|accessdate=11 January 2018}}</ref> The company was established in Sydney in 1926 by Robert Adcock, and initially produced overalls, but has since grown its products to supply a large range of work wear (including under the "Workcool" and "Tradies" ranges), footwear and accessories.<ref name="bondiwear.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.bondiwear.com/historical-manufacturer-no-4-kinggee/|title=Historical manufacturer no. 4: KingGee - bondiwear|date=14 July 2014|publisher=|accessdate=11 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Amy |title=Historical manufacturer no. 4: KingGee |url=https://www.bondiwear.com/historical-manufacturer-no-4-kinggee/ |access-date=2025-07-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160229122758/https://www.bondiwear.com/historical-manufacturer-no-4-kinggee/ |archive-date=2016-02-29 |date=2014-07-14}}</ref>
== History == In March 1926, a trade mark application for King Gee was successfully made by Robert Adcock of Concord in Sydney. The trademark was to cover "articles of clothing, including overalls".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article160001910 |title=Trade Mark Applications.|date=12 May 1926 |work=Daily Commercial News And Shipping List |access-date=5 January 2018 |issue=11,779 |location=New South Wales, Australia |page=8 (Weekly Summary) |via=Trove}}</ref>
After its inception, the brand grew strongly, and supplied uniforms for the defence services during World War II.<ref name="bondiwear.com"/> After his father's retirement, Warren David Adcock {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OBE}},<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110885197 |title=New Year Honours List (NSW) |work=The Canberra Times |volume=52 |issue=14,972 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=31 December 1977 |access-date=20 May 2025 |page=12 |via=Trove}}</ref> took control of the company. Adcock, became amongst other things, a board member of Bradmill Textiles, a company also founded in Sydney in the 1920s.<ref>[https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/the-annual-general-meeting-of-bradmill-the-board-of-news-photo/1079392772 Bradmill Textiles] Retrieved 20 May 2025.</ref>
in 2001, Pacific Brands acquired KingGee from Sara Lee.<ref>{{cite news |title=New owners stripping the rust off King Gee brand |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/new-owners-stripping-the-rust-off-king-gee-brand-20021010-gdfpjm.html |access-date=2025-07-06 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=2002-10-10}}</ref> In the final six months of 2008, Pacific Brands posted a net loss of $150 million. Following that, in February 2009, 74 workers were retrenched at the Bellambi factory in New South Wales. Citing difficult economic conditions, all manufacturing was moved overseas.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/pac-brands-exits-australian-manufacturing-20090225-8hei.html | title=Pac Brands exits Australian manufacturing | date=24 February 2009 }}</ref> As part of Pacific Brands Workwear Group, the KingGee brand was bought by Wesfarmers in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |title=Acquisition of Workwear Group |url=https://www.wesfarmers.com.au/who-we-are/our-history/acquisition-of-workwear-group |publisher=Wesfarmers |access-date=2025-07-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/business/pacific-brands-sells-hard-yakka-stubbies-and-kinggee-to-wesfarmers-in-180m-deal/news-story/55bcd4652446a06f350daafd7cdc0890|title=PacBrands sells Hard Yakka to Wesfarmers|date=26 August 2014|work=Herald Sun|access-date=5 January 2018|language=en}}</ref>
==See also == *Steel Blue
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{official website|https://www.kinggee.com/}}
{{Wesfarmers}}
Category:Australian companies established in 1926 Category:Clothing companies established in 1926 Category:Clothing brands of Australia Category:Wesfarmers Category:Workwear