Our Story
Oggie Sportswear
The OG Oggie.
Ellie, the original “Oggie“, founded the brand back in 1983. Working on Wall Street at the time, she needed something a little more to let her creative and artistic juices flow. Using an old Singer sewing machine, the Hamptons, and her childhood nickname, Oggie Sportswear was born.
In the 80’s surf pants were all the rage and Ellie came up with a totally rad idea to change the game. So there Ellie went with a crazy cool idea in her mind, buckled into her ’75 light blue Ford Bronco and took off to the local fabric store. Bought yards of neon Aztec patterned fabrics and multi-colored neon cords, and knew she had something good.
In the 80’s, having no website to customize and order a label or patch from, Ellie went into a catalog and called up a company to order her patches from. She drew 20 different versions of her logo for the patch until her sister Chrissy stepped in and said “Ellie, Oggie is you, so why don’t we put you on the patch.”
On Sunday summer afternoons after the beach, Ellie and all her friends would throw on their custom, homemade pair of Oggies and head to Boardy Barn. Sundays turned into Saturdays at Neptunes on Dune Road and Saturdays turned into Fridays at the Mad Hatter, all all her friends were wearing Oggie all the time. People kept asking, “Where’d you get those pants? I want a pair.”
Every day after getting off the LIRR, Ellie sewed and sewed and sewed. She made pants for herself, all her guy friends, and anyone that wanted a pair. But at the time they were labelless pants. The re-envisioned & homemade surf pants needed a name. Oggie! Oggie, her childhood nickname, how perfect and fun.
Ellie had a choice, keep Oggie close to the people she loved or let it take off. She started to make the Oggie pants and have her boyfriend John, go around and sell them to the surf shops in the Hamptons. Oggie was going so well that her friends wanted to make Oggie go big and start to manufacture the pants. Ellie declined and couldn’t let go of her homegrown and homemade baby, but Oggie still lives on.
Fast forward to 2020, when I, Ellie’s daughter, was rummaging around in our basement. I found a bunch of cool vintage pants, fabrics, and of course the Oggie patch, and had to know where this all came from. I asked my Mom, and she told me the whole story and couldn’t bare to let Oggie die. I asked her if I could use her artwork from the patch and revive the brand. Of course she said yes, and now here is Oggie in the full glory it always was and deserves.
– Katie Hannon, Re-Founder of Oggie Sportswear
