Elie Tahari
United States
Elie Tahari is a New York fashion label founded by the Israeli-American designer Elie Tahari in the 1970s. It is known for tailored womenswear and, since 2020, has focused on its own boutiques, outlets and e-commerce rather than wholesale.
| Founded | 1970s |
|---|---|
| Founder | Elie Tahari |
| Headquarters | New York, United States |
| Segment | Premium and contemporary |
| Distribution | Own boutiques, outlets and e-commerce (since 2020) |
| Website | elietahari.com |
What is Elie Tahari?
Elie Tahari is a New York ready-to-wear label best known for tailored suits and polished womenswear. The range has also included menswear, accessories, jewellery, footwear, home goods and the ET Sport line, launched in 2015.
History
Elie Tahari was born in Jerusalem in 1952 and emigrated to the United States in 1971, where he worked as an electrician in the Garment District. He helped popularise the tube top in 1973, opened a boutique on Madison Avenue and held an early fashion show at Studio 54. Wikipedia gives both 1974 and 1977 as the launch year of the label, so this profile dates it only to the 1970s.
The brand focused on tailored suits in the 1980s, and Tahari joined the CFDA in 1994. In 1997 he co-launched the label Theory with Andrew Rosen. Theory was sold to Link International in September 2003 for $100 million.
Business model and distribution
The company began selling through luxury department stores in 1989, starting with Bloomingdale's, and collaborated with Kohl's in 2014. After the pandemic closed those stores in 2020, it closed its wholesale division and moved to direct-to-consumer retail through its own boutiques, outlet stores and e-commerce. Wikipedia reports that the brand reached $1 billion in sales volume in 2019, a figure given without further detail, and that it marked its 50th anniversary in 2024.
The sources reviewed do not state who owns the company outright or who currently leads it, so neither is given here.
Why it matters
Elie Tahari is one of the long-standing New York names in American workwear. Its move away from department-store wholesale in 2020 is a clear example of an established brand shifting to a direct model after the pandemic.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Elie Tahari?
The label was founded by the Israeli-American designer Elie Tahari, who was born in Jerusalem in 1952 and moved to the United States in 1971. He also co-launched the label Theory in 1997.
Is Elie Tahari a luxury brand?
Elie Tahari is generally positioned as a premium contemporary brand rather than a luxury house. It began in luxury department stores and now sells through its own boutiques, outlets and online.