Madewell is owned and operated by the J. Crew Group Inc. The brand was founded in 1937 and the J. Crew group was able to secure the rights to the brand by buying it in 2006. The brand was originally all about workwear but when J. Crew came in, they revamped the brand and catered to the young women. It later on expanded their market focus to include men. They carry denim apparel for every shape and size (they have tall, short, petite, plus size, and maternity), shoes, and fashion accessories.
Madewell is not the only fashion retailer that focuses on denims.
Levi’s
German Levi Strauss founded the famous denim brand Levi’s in May 1853. Strauss opened a dry goods store in San Francisco. After having an a-ha moment to use copper rivets to improve the durability of pants during that time, David Stern approached his brother-in-law Strauss for them to work together. They acquired a patent for their design in 1873 and sold denim overalls in the 1870s. The first Levi’s 501 jeans came to be – and was sold – in the 1890s. Now with over 2,800 stores in the world, the classic men’s 501 jeans start at USD 25 while women’s skinny jeans start at USD 40. They have added apparel in plus sizes (for men and women) and have children’s wear and baby wear as well. They also offer customization of any of their products. They also sell non-denim apparel like sweaters and sweatshirts, dresses, and underwear.
American Eagle Outfitters
Brothers Jerry and Mark Silvermann are the founders of American Eagle Outfitters. The Silvermanns founded the brand in 1977 under Retail Ventures, Inc., which also owned Silverman’s Menswear. In 1991, the ownership of the brand was turned over to Jacob Price. At present the brand has over 930 stores in the US plus 100+ Aerie stand-alone stores. The brand targets the youth and offers men and women apparel, including intimates, shoes, accessories, sports apparel, swimwear, dresses, and sleepwear. Surprisingly, they also have products for the home (linen, furniture, tapestry, mugs). Men’s basic tees start at USD 13, straight jeans at USD 25, and boardshorts at USD 30.
Diesel
Italian Renzo Rosso is the brains behind the popular denim brand Diesel. His love for sewing jeans started as early as the 70s when he would wear his own low-riding, bell-bottomed jeans, even selling them to his friends. He worked for Moltex, a clothing manufacturer, owned by Adriano Goldschmied, in 1976. By 1978, Goldschmied got him to buy 40% of the stakes of the company. They renamed the company to Diesel, after the alternative fuel to gasoline. They wanted to market the brand as an alternative to the other popular brands of the time. By 1985, Rosso bought Goldschmied out and became the owner of the company. Since then, Diesel has grown into a billion-dollar company, offering alternative items in the luxury market segment. Aside from denim apparel, they also carry beachwear, underwear, accessories, fragrance, and watches. Men’s skinny jeans start at USD 168, tees start at USD 48, and shoes start at UD 198. Women’s skinny jeans start at USD 178, tees start at USD 58, and shoes start at UD 98.