JOOP!
Holy Fashion Group · Germany
JOOP! is a German premium fashion and lifestyle brand founded by designer Wolfgang Joop in the mid 1980s. Since 2008 it has been wholly owned by the Swiss Holy Fashion Group, which also owns Strellson and Windsor.
| Founded | Mid 1980s (exclamation mark from 1987) |
|---|---|
| Founder | Wolfgang Joop |
| Owner | Holy Fashion Group, wholly since 2008 |
| Group headquarters | Kreuzlingen, Switzerland |
| Sister brands | Strellson, Windsor |
| Segment | Premium fashion and lifestyle |
| Website | joop.com |
What is JOOP!?
JOOP! is a premium fashion and lifestyle brand with German roots and international recognition. It offers menswear, womenswear, a denim line, accessories, fragrances and home products, and its name with the distinctive exclamation mark is among the most recognisable German fashion trademarks.
History
The brand was created in the mid 1980s by the Potsdam born designer Wolfgang Joop, and the exclamation mark became part of the name in 1987. Joop sold 95 percent of the company in 1998 and the remaining shares in 2001, after which he went on to co-found the luxury label Wunderkind. Strellson AG, the holding of the Holy family, took a one third stake in JOOP! GmbH in 2001 and acquired the remaining shares in 2008. Since then JOOP! has been one of the three brands of Holy Fashion Group in Kreuzlingen.
Products and positioning
- Menswear: suits, shirts, jackets, knitwear and accessories
- Womenswear: dresses, blouses, knitwear, jackets, jewellery and watches
- JOOP! JEANS: a denim line for men and women
- Fragrances: long one of the brand's best known categories
- JOOP! Living: tableware, bedding, towels, lamps and rugs
Several of these categories, notably fragrances and home, are produced with licence partners, which extends the brand well beyond apparel.
Business model and distribution
JOOP! sells through fashion retailers and department stores, its own stores and showrooms, and an official online shop that offers click and collect with in store advice. Licensing remains an important part of the model.
Why it matters
JOOP! is a case study in how a designer founded brand can outlive its founder's involvement and become a broad lifestyle label under group ownership. Its mix of apparel, licensed fragrances and home products makes it one of the most diversified premium brands of German origin.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns JOOP!?
JOOP! is owned by Holy Fashion Group, the Swiss company Strellson AG based in Kreuzlingen. It bought a third of JOOP! GmbH in 2001 and the rest in 2008.
Is Wolfgang Joop still involved with JOOP!?
No. Wolfgang Joop sold 95 percent of the company in 1998 and his remaining shares in 2001. He later co-founded the luxury label Wunderkind.