Eddie Bauer is a chain of clothing stores owned by the holding company, Eddie Bauer Holdings, Inc. (EBH). Eddie Bauer was a Pacific Northwest outdoorsman (1899 – 1986) that established the company in 1920 in Seattle, Washington. The company patented the first quilted down jacket in 1940 and went on to patent many other designs. Due to the quality and functionality of the designs, Eddie Bauer became the first independent company hired by the United States Army as well as the first company allowed to use a logo on the Army-issued uniforms. The clothing was also used in many extreme climbing expeditions such as to Mt. Everest and climbing K2. Eddie Bauer clothing, sleeping bags, and equipment was also used during scientific expeditions to the South pole in the 1960s.
In 1968, Bauer retired and sold the company. It was purchased by General Mills in 1971 and Spiegel bought it from General Mills in 1988. Spiegel, Inc. became bankrupt in 2003 and sold all of its assets and companies except for Eddie Bauer. The company, Spiegel, emerged from bancrupsy in 2005 and established the company under the new name “Eddie Bauer Holdings”.
The company also licenses the Eddie Bauer brand name and logo for many other products sold through various companies selling clothing, eyewear, furniture, bicycles, and even some SUVs sold through Ford Motor Company.
Eddie Bauer Holdings company filed for bankruptcy in July 2009 and was acquired by Golden Gate Capital that same year.