Lafayette College celebrates its 200th birthday this year, and you can share in that celebration with a new line of branded merchandise from Abercrombie & Fitch — whose CEO is an alum — limited-edition Crayola colors and more.
Chartered in 1826 and named for the Marquis de Lafayette, the Easton liberal arts college is selling bicentennial-themed merchandise while supplies last online and in person at the Lafayette College Store at 211 McCartney St.
“It feels amazing,” store manager Pete Violante said of seeing Lafayette College reach its bicentennial, adding that he was proud to be part of the celebration.
Lafayette College President Nicole Hurd said the college is celebrating “our very democratic origin story.”
“I love the fact that we are named for a founding father that was the same age as our students when he came over to participate in the Revolution, who fought for freedom, for liberty, for democracy, but also spoke out against slavery,” she said. “He was somebody who was very committed to these ideas that are the American experiment.”
Jasmine Williams, a Lafayette College senior, arranges items Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, at the school’s store on its Easton campus. To mark its bicentennial in 2026 Lafayette is offering themed merchandise such as clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
For its bicentennial in 2026, Lafayette College is offering themed merchandise such as the items seen here on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, at its store. Included are clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
For its bicentennial in 2026, Lafayette College is offering themed merchandise such as the items seen here on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, at its store. Included are clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
For its bicentennial in 2026, Lafayette College is offering themed merchandise such as the items seen here on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, at its store. Included are clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
For its bicentennial in 2026, Lafayette College is offering themed merchandise such as the items seen here on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, at its store. Included are clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
For its bicentennial in 2026, Lafayette College is offering themed merchandise such as the items seen here on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, at its store. Included are clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
For its bicentennial in 2026, Lafayette College is offering themed merchandise such as the items seen here on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, at its store. Included are clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
To mark its bicentennial in 2026, Lafayette College is offering themed merchandise at its campus store in Easton such as clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
To mark its bicentennial in 2026, Lafayette College is offering themed merchandise at its campus store in Easton such as clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
To mark its bicentennial in 2026, Lafayette College is offering themed merchandise at its campus store in Easton such as clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
Jasmine Williams, a Lafayette College senior, arranges items Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, at the school’s store on its Easton campus. To mark its bicentennial in 2026 Lafayette is offering themed merchandise such as clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
Jasmine Williams, a Lafayette College senior, arranges items Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, at the school’s store on its Easton campus. To mark its bicentennial in 2026 Lafayette is offering themed merchandise such as clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
Lafayette College store manager Pete Violante arranges items Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, at the retail location on the school’s campus in Easton. To mark its bicentennial in 2026 the school is offering themed merchandise such as clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
For its bicentennial in 2026, Lafayette College is offering themed merchandise such as the items seen here on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, at its store. Included are clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
Lafayette College store manager Pete Violante arranges items Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, at the retail location on the school’s campus in Easton. To mark its bicentennial in 2026 the school is offering themed merchandise such as clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
Lafayette College store manager Pete Violante arranges items Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, at the retail location on the school’s campus in Easton. To mark its bicentennial in 2026 the school is offering themed merchandise such as clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
Lafayette College store manager Pete Violante arranges items Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, at the retail location on the school’s campus in Easton. To mark its bicentennial in 2026 the school is offering themed merchandise such as clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
For its bicentennial in 2026, Lafayette College is offering themed merchandise such as the items seen here on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, at its store. Included are clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
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Jasmine Williams, a Lafayette College senior, arranges items Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, at the school’s store on its Easton campus. To mark its bicentennial in 2026 Lafayette is offering themed merchandise such as clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch, special colors from Crayola and Burpee seeds for the Marquis Marigold flowers. (Monica Cabrera/The Morning Call)
Special from Abercrombie & Fitch are “200”-themed hoodies, T-shirts and fleece pants. Other non-Abercrombie & Fitch apparel and accessories include pullovers, polo shirts, keychains, lapel pins and hats.
Abercrombie CEO Fran Horowitz, who graduated from Lafayette in 1985, isn’t the only alum participating in the 200th anniversary merch.
Crayola, which has its corporate headquarters in Forks Township, created commemorative crayon boxes that include the limited edition colors, said Pam Pearson, commercialization specialization solutions director and a 1994 alum. Colors are Marquis Maroon, Cur Non Royal blue, Golden Leopard yellow and Day on the Quad green.
“This project was a lot of fun,” Pearson said. “It’s kind of like worlds collide. My work world and my college world came together.”
Pete Ruggiero, Crayola president and CEO and a member of the college’s board of trustees, said in a written statement, “Crayola celebrates Lafayette College’s historic celebration and its substantial impact on our world. Given Crayola’s long-standing partnership with Lafayette in building the Easton community, it has been an honor for us to participate in the bicentennial by producing the [commemorative] box of crayons.”
Finally, the gardening company Burpee is offering seeds for the bi-colored Marquis Marigolds, said Jamie Mattikow, a 1986 alum and president and CEO of the Bucks County company.
“Lafayette was a great university to help you experience different possibilities,” Mattikow said. “I went in as an undeclared liberal arts major and I tried different courses, and different areas captured my interest. The economics and business and government and law were nice complimentary majors with different curriculums.”
Statue dedication
Another 200th anniversary plan is a bronze statue of Adrienne Lafayette, wife of the Marquis de Lafayette. The work, designed by artist Audrey Flack, will be installed near Skillman Library and unveiled and dedicated in March.
Brian Booth Craig, an artist who worked as Flack’s assistant for over 30 years, finished the work after Flack’s 2024 death.
Flack, who was Lafayette’s Richard A. and Rissa W. Grossman Visiting Artist in 2015, “loved the campus, loved the school, and she really thought that they should have a representation of … [an] important female figure on the campus,” Craig said.
Adrienne Lafayette, the wife to the Marquis de Lafayette, is portrayed here in the 1894 etching “Madame de La Fayette” that Albert Rosenthal created for Charlemagne Tower. As part of its bicentennial celebration, Lafayette College commissioned artist Audrey Flack to create a bust of Adrienne to be installed near the school’s Skillman Library. (Photo courtesy of Special Collections & College Archives at the Skillman Library at Lafayette College)