Evolving fashion for generations
Innovative from the start, family-owned C&A contributed substantially to the creation of attractive, affordable, ready-to-wear clothing for everyday people. That´s our story, and we’re still doing it.
19th - 20th century
19th century
1841
C&A starts in Sneek, Netherlands.
1851
The Singer sewing machine is introduced.
1890s
C&A begins to specialize in ready-to-wear clothing.
1893
1st major expansion: Amsterdam store opens.
20th century
1911
1st international expansion: Berlin store opens.
C&A introduces fixed-price tags and a one-year guarantee.
1917
C&A publicly supports giving German women the right to vote.
1920s
C&A offers fashion for Men, Kids & Ladies “under one roof”.
C&A institutes cash purchase & exchange.
1922
1st store opens in the United Kingdom.
1927
C&A opens its first men’s store in Germany.
1930s
C&A begins to air cinema advertising.
1933
C&A begins to advertise on the radio & develop labels.
1941
C&A initiates self-service.
1948
1st store opens in the USA.
1952
C&A standardizes employee training, emphasizing customer satisfaction.
1960
C&A begins to offer clothing for small children in a separate department.
1963
1st store opens in Belgium.
Introduction of beach fashion.
1965
C&A stocks the new mini-skirt.
1967
Twiggy designs fashion for C&A.
1972
1st store opens in France.
1973
1st store opens in Spain.
1976
1st store opens in Brazil.
1977
1st store opens in Switzerland.
1979
1st store opens in Japan.
1981
Yves Saint Laurent & Karl Lagerfeld begin to cooperate with C&A.
1982
1st store opens in Luxembourg.
1984
1st store opens in Austria.
1989
C&A sets up an Environmental Working Group.
“The Berlin Wall” comes down.
1990s
Fur is discontinued in all C&A stores.
Dot Com Bubble: C&A opens its first website in the late nineties.
1991
1st store opens in former East Germany.
1st store opens in Portugal.
1995
C&A mandates ethical Code of Conduct for all of its suppliers.
1999
1st store opens in the Czech Republic & Mexico.
21st century thus far
2001
1st store opens in Poland.
2002
1st store opens in Hungary.
2005
The first C&A XL shops open.
1st store opens in Russia.
2006
C&A opens its 1,000th store.
2007
C&A sets up the European Environmental Working Group.
1st stores open in Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey and China.
2008
C&A opens its first carbon-neutral store in Mainz, Germany.
1st store opens in Italy.
2009
C&A becomes the No. 1 global retailer of organic cotton garments.
1st stores open in Romania and Croatia.
2010
C&A receives the German Sustainability Award for supporting organic cotton.
C&A rated No. 1 online retailer in Germany.
2011
C&A stops buying sandblasted clothing.
C&A begins using electric vehicles.
2012
1st store opens in Serbia.
C&A is the world’s largest buyer of organic cotton.
1st Click & Collect Lounges.
2013
C&A partners with the Water Footprint Network to improve water sustainability in the textile supply chain.
1st store reopens in Denmark.
C&A signs the “Fire and Building Safety Accord” in Bangladesh.
2014
Publishing the first Bio Cotton brochure.