Jordache Enterprises, Inc. (/ˈdʒɔːrdæʃ/) is an American clothing company that markets apparel, including shirts, jeans, and outerwear.[1] The brand is known for its designer jeans that were popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Since the 2000s, Jordache has also diversified into real estate in the United States and other ventures in Israel. The brand name Jordache is a contraction of Joe, Ralph, and Avi Nakash.
History
Jordache originated in 1978, when brothers Joe, Ralph, and Avi Nakash opened a denim store in New York City.[1][2] Inspired by European fashions, the brothers had developed a groundbreaking collection with a signature fit that was tight and sexy. Business expanded over the years, until a fire destroyed their inventory during the New York City blackout of 1977. [1] In 1978, they officially began to manufacture and distribute denim under their own label, known as Jordache, [1] with exceptional form-fitting silhouettes for both men and women, an iconic horse-head logo and unique back pocket stitching.
The Nakash brothers' timing was right. At this moment, consumer taste in jeans was shifting from established brands such as Levi's to designer jeans such as Gloria Vanderbilt and Calvin Klein.[1] However, Jordache jeans were barely distinguishable from other designer jeans on the market.[1] To differentiate their brand, the brothers invested one quarter of their annual sales volume ($300,000 of their own money and $250,000 in loans) into an aggressive 1979 ad campaign.[1] Jordache produced a television commercial starring an apparently topless woman in tight Jordache jeans riding a horse through surf.[1][3] The ad was rejected by all three major United States television networks, but independent New York stations aired it, and Jordache increased significantly in popularity.[1][3] Later, an additional one million dollars was spent on advertising, including full-color advertisements in magazines circulated nationally in the United States.[1] One promotional gimmick that did not work out was the Jordache blimp, a poorly designed airship that crashed on October 8, 1980, at Lakehurst, New Jersey, on its maiden flight. It was en route to a promotional gala and crashed 43 years after the Hindenburg airship disaster in the same city.[4]
In the 1980s, the company expanded its reach with expansive licensing that generated up to $300 million per year of wholesale income.[1] In 1989, the company had 100 licensees, manufacturing products as varied as children's socks, women's outerwear, jewelry, dresses, luggage, and umbrellas.[1]
Operations
Today, Jordache Enterprises is a privately held conglomerate. The company designs and manufactures a wide variety of denim, apparel and accessories. In 2018, Jordache unveiled a premium denim collection in celebration of the brand's 40th anniversary.[5]
Through the initial proceeds from the Jordache label, the Nakash brothers have expanded into Jordache Enterprises, Inc., with interests in real estate, hospitality, aviation, high-tech cryptography, maritime ventures, and agriculture. Among its more notable holdings beyond its namesake brand are real estate holdings in New York City, The Setai Miami in Miami, hotels throughout Europe and Israel, part of the Strip House restaurant chain, management of the Port of Eilat following its privatization, Arkia, Israel's second largest airline, and MG Aviation, an aircraft leasing firm with aircraft under lease to Norwegian Air Shuttle and eventually Arkia.[7] Jordache Enterprises has two separate boards—one comprising six Nakashes and an outside board with 10 non-family members. Each male member of the second generation is highly specialized and has a nominal responsibility.[citation needed]
