With the Obama Administration recently loosening travel restrictions to Cuba, the timing could not be better for the arrival of Ike Behar's new Havana Collection. 

The Ike Behar story begins in pre-revolutionary Cuba where Ike, the youngest of three brothers, learned the fine art of custom-tailoring at the shop owned by his father, Samuel Behar. At the age of 20, Ike, with fifty dollars in his wallet, left Havana, Cuba for New York City to pursuit the American Dream.  He took his first job on a trial basis, offering a custom shirt-maker his services for free in order to prove his skills.  By the end of the week, the shirt-maker was so impressed  that he paid him his wages and offered him a permanent position. Eventually, Ike bought the company and, over the next decade continued to perfect his craft with his patented shirt-making innovations.

In 1970, a young tie-maker named Ralph Lauren, interested in expanding his business in men's apparel, approached Ike Behar. Impressed by the quality and care of Ike's workmanship, Ralph Lauren wanted Ike to make shirts for the Ralph Lauren line.  In 1982, as more American companies, including Polo, turned to overseas manufacturing, the Ike Behar/ Ralph Lauren affiliation came to an end.  

The Havana32 Collection is an homage to the inimitable style of 1930's Cuba. The collection includes the Bogart, which is a Guayabera-like white, linen shirt, the short-sleeve, linen Victor, the Ernesto which is similar and available in White, Cream (pictured), and a beautiful Blue, the Alberto in Chocolate Brown or Navy Blue with small white polka dots, and the banded collar Enrique. Each shirt comes in Ike Behar's black gift box.