Mark Cross is an American luxury leather goods brand. Founded in 1845, the company started as a bridle, harness, and saddle maker before transitioning to luxury leather goods.

History

Mark Cross opened its doors in Boston in 1845, eventually moving its headquarters to New York. Soon after, employee Patrick Murphy purchased Mark Cross and expanded the product offering to luxury leather goods.Cohen, Lisa, ''All We Know: Three Lives'', New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2013. Patrick’s son, Gerald, took over as the company’s president in 1934 after years of living abroad. Before leading Mark Cross,

Gerald and Sara Murphy Gerald Clery Murphy and Sara Sherman Wiborg were wealthy, expatriate Americans who moved to the French Riviera in the early 20th century and who, with their generous hospitality and flair for parties, created a vibrant social circle, particularl ...

were wealthy expatriates living at

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and forming relationships with many artists and writers of the

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. Gerald’s friendship with

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led to him to design an overnight case for Grace Kelly’s character in “Rear Window,” an early example of product placement in film. Later, one with

Lee Iacocca Lido Anthony "Lee" Iacocca ( ; October 15, 1924 – July 2, 2019) was an American automobile executive best known for the development of the Ford Mustang, Continental Mark III, and Ford Pinto cars while at the Ford Motor Company in the 1960s, an ...

led to Mark Cross branding being used on 1980s

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cars equipped with leather upholstery. After the Murphys sold the business, Mark Cross went through a succession of different ownership until it was shut down in the late 1990s by its then-owner

Sara Lee Sara may refer to: Arts, media and entertainment Film and television * Sara (1992 film), ''Sara'' (1992 film), 1992 Iranian film by Dariush Merhjui * Sara (1997 film), ''Sara'' (1997 film), 1997 Polish film starring Bogusław Linda * Sara (2010 ...

. It remained dormant until it was relaunched in 2011 by new owner Neal J Fox, who produces the products in the same Italian factories as the company did over 40 years prior.

References

{{reflist Leather goods Luxury brands