Lagos
United States
Lagos is a Philadelphia-based jewellery brand founded in 1977 by Steven Lagos and known for its Caviar beading. It is described as privately held and sells through department stores, independent jewellers and its own boutiques.
| Founded | 1977 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Steven Lagos |
| Owner | Privately held |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Segment | Jewellery and watches |
| Website | lagos.com |
What is Lagos?
Lagos is an American jewellery brand founded in 1977 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by the master jeweller Steven Lagos. According to Wikipedia, he founded the company at the age of 20. The company is described as privately held, and no outside owner is named in the sources reviewed.
History
The brand's signature is its Caviar beading, a textured design that appears on every style according to the company. Wikipedia dates the creation of the textured sterling silver called Caviar to 1984, while the brand's own history page gives 1986, so the exact year is best treated as the mid-1980s. The company opened a flagship boutique on Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia in 1994 and bought its Philadelphia headquarters building in 2002.
Products and positioning
Lagos makes handcrafted jewellery in sterling silver and gold, with the Caviar texture as the visual thread across collections. Wikipedia states that the company has made more than two million pieces since 1977.
Business model and distribution
Lagos combines wholesale with its own retail and online sales.
- Wholesale: Wikipedia lists more than 300 US stores, including Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom and independent jewellers, with a service area covering the USA, Canada and the Caribbean.
- Own retail: the Rittenhouse Square flagship opened in 1994, and a Lagos boutique opened at Bloomingdale's 59th Street in 2023.
- Online: the brand sells at lagos.com and offers a store locator.
On the supply side, the brand states that manufacturing moved offshore in 2005, that it opened a design atelier in Bangkok in 2013 and that it acquired a Bangkok factory in 2022 to gain more control over its supply chain. Wikipedia also lists offices in New York and Bangkok.
Why it matters
Lagos is a long-running independent American jewellery label with a recognisable design signature and a distribution model built on department stores and specialist jewellers, supported by a vertically controlled production base in Thailand.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Lagos?
Lagos is described as privately held. The sources reviewed do not name an outside owner, and the brand was founded by Steven Lagos in 1977.
Where is Lagos jewellery from?
Lagos is an American brand headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It also has a design atelier and a factory in Bangkok.