Gerzon fashion house was one of the businesses where ladies from the better classes could go for off-the-peg clothes. These were imported from Germany and other countries. During World War I the import of ladieswear and children’s clothes stagnated. Gerzon decided to open its own ready-to-wear clothing factory. It started on a small scale with the production of ladies’ suits. Initially the factory was located in a cycle shed in Rotterdam, but it quickly employed eighty girls. In 1920 the ready-to-wear department moved to Amsterdam. It was housed in various buildings throughout the city, owing to lack of suitable workspace. In 1923 Gerzon opened its headquarters on the Singel. The factory was located in the top three floors of the premises.