Lucky Brand

The Story of Lucky Brand:

Rooted in rock 'n 'roll with a signature sense of humor, Lucky Brand stands for independent thinking, individual style and a feeling as authentic as love. Friends since youth, creators Gene Montesano and Barry Perlman shipped the first order of Lucky Brand in 1990, and have been renowned for their great-fitting, vintage-inspired jeans ever since.

Gene and Barry's lifelong passions were blue jeans and rock 'n' roll. While experiencing the hippie-counterculture movement in the U.S. in the 1970s, the then-21-year-old Gene teamed up with 17-year-old Barry, and friend Bill Rudnick, to open a jeans shop in Florida called Four Way Street. It was 1972 and they were officially in the jeans business, "During the evenings, we'd head out to the local Laundromat with our pockets full of coins and some bleach. A few hours later, we had a stack of great washed jeans -- one of a kind and 100% authentic!"

Gene moved to Los Angeles in 1978 "with $100 in his pocket" and entered the burgeoning Los Angeles fashion industry. He started Bongo Jeans with partner Michael Caruso and helped run the Bongo brand for 15 years, helping it grow into a multi-million dollar company. In 1990, Gene left Bongo to launch his dream, Lucky Brand, and asked Barry to become his business partner once again. The Goal? To create a denim company without compromise, about great quality and good humor.

Lucky Brand became instantly recognized for its attention to fit, but there was one more detail to follow. Gene wanted to put a message in the fly, and came up with the catch phrase "Lucky You." The irreverent play on words and strategic placement of the "Lucky You" message bucked the 1990s politically correct climate, attracting some unfavorable advice, "Don't do it. People won't buy it, they'll be offended!"

As promised, Gene refused to compromise and his good-humored "Lucky You" signature was a gamble that paid off. In next to no time, the phones were ringing with people demanding those jeans with the "Lucky You" in the fly.

Lucky Brand is built on moments like these, of irrefutable attitude and vision without compromise. Los Angeles and the free-spirited Southern California lifestyle continue to inspire the company's style. The story of Lucky Brand is the story of two great friends moving to California and starting a jeans brand. The rest is history.

 Lucky Hollywood:

Over the years Lucky Brand has garnered a strong celebrity following. Fans include Ben Affleck, Halle Berry, Abigail Breslin, Brad Pitt, Salma Hayek, Sandra Bullock, Ellen DeGeneres, David Grohl, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Mandy Moore, Jessica Simpson, Gwyneth Paltrow, LL Cool J, Matt Damon, Will Smith & John Travolta, just to name a few. 

Lucky Brand works with the wardrobe departments of Hollywood movie studios and has been featured on numerous TV shows including Ugly Betty, How I Met Your Mother, Criminal Minds, The Unit, Scrubs, Medium, Ghost Whisperer, Without a Trace and CSI.

For the past ten years, Lucky Brand has sponsored the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, a prestigious event that honors the artists behind filmmaking, hosts premiere screenings and supports aspiring filmmakers.

Lucky Foundation

Created by Lucky Brand founders Gene Montesano and Barry Perlman, The Lucky Foundation is committed to bringing happiness, comfort and hope to disabled children. The Foundation believes that its donations can truly impact the quality of life and well-being of children and make a difference in their lives. Since its inception in 1996, the Foundation has been successful in raising approximately $6 million through its annual Black Tie & Blue Jeans Gala for numerous children's charities including: Smile Train, Camp Sundown, Island Dolphin Care, Shane's Inspiration and The Bridge School. The event consistently draws over 700 guests from the fashion and Hollywood industries including; Anthony Edwards, Sela Ward, Emily Procter, Alyson Hannigan, Laura San Giacomo and Neil Young. The Black Tie & Blue Jeans Gala has been hosted by such marquis names as Jay Leno, Dennis Miller, Dana Carvey, Howie Mandel, David Spade and Craig Ferguson. Musical guests have included B.B. King, Jackson Browne, Stephen Stills, Loggins & Messina, James Brown, Chris Isaak, Bonnie Raitt, The Fab Faux, and Chris Robinson.

Lucky Business:

Lucky Brand designs and produces denim, sportswear, knits, wovens, outerwear, T-shirts and active wear. Additional Lucky Brand licensed products include swimwear and accessories for men and women. The Lucky Brand collections are carried at better department and specialty stores, and at over 110 company-owned stores nationwide and three internationally.

 May 1999 marked another stage of the Lucky Brand development when Liz Claiborne, Inc. acquired 85% of the company. This strategic partnership positioned Lucky Brand for major growth, focusing on expanding its retail locations, e-commerce site (www.LuckyBrand.com) and increasing its foreign distribution. Lucky Brand will continue to license its brand in other major product categories.

Lucky Worldwide

Lucky Brand's global presence has expanded with free standing stores in Canada, Asia and the Middle East. Wholesale presence in Self ridges, London is just the beginning of European expansion.

Gene & Barry:

Rooted in rock 'n' roll with a signature sense of humor, Lucky Brand stands for independent thinking, individual style and a feeling as authentic as love. Friends since youth, creators Gene Montesano and Barry Perlman shipped the first order of Lucky Brand in 1990, and have been renowned for their great-fitting, vintage-inspired jeans ever since.

Gene and Barry's life long passions were blue jeans and rock'n' roll. While experiencing the hippie-counterculture movement in the U.S. in the 1970s, the then-21-year-old Gene teamed up with 17-year-old Barry, and friend Bill Rudnick, to open a jeans shop in Florida called Four Way Street. It was 1972 and they were officially in the jeans business, "During the evenings, we'd head out to the local Laundromat with our pockets full of coins and some bleach. A few hours later, we had a stack of great washed jeans -- one of a kind and 100% authentic!"

Gene moved to Los Angeles in 1978 "with $100 in his pocket" and entered the burgeoning Los Angeles fashion industry. He started Bongo Jeans with partner Michael Caruso and helped run the Bongo brand for 15 years, helping it grow into a multi-million dollar company. In 1990, Gene left Bongo to launch his dream, Lucky Brand, and asked Barry to become his business partner once again. The Goal? To create a denim company without compromise, about great quality and good humor.

Lucky Brand became instantly recognized for its attention to fit, but there was one more detail to follow. Gene wanted to put a message in the fly, and came up with the catch phrase "Lucky You." The irreverent play on words and strategic placement of the "Lucky You" message bucked the 1990s politically correct climate, attracting some unfavorable advice, "Don't do it. People won't buy it, they'll be offended!"

As promised, Gene refused to compromise and his good-humored "Lucky You" signature was a gamble that paid off. In next to no time, the phones were ringing with people demanding those jeans with the "Lucky You" in the fly.

Lucky Brand is built on moments like these, of irrefutable attitude and vision without compromise. Los Angeles and the free-spirited Southern California lifestyle continue to inspire the company's style. The story of Lucky Brand is the story of two great friends moving to California and starting a jeans brand. The rest is history.

Our Vision:

Lucky Brand is about a moment in time, about America, youth and courage. The brand stands for a time when quality and pride came first. Lucky Brand has always marched to the tune of its own drummer, never lining up to do it like everybody else. When the rules didn't make sense, the company made up new ones. Lucky Brand Jeans was founded on the nostalgia of small town America. It's about innocence, courage and fun. It's the embodiment of what you feel when you see or hear something that takes you back to a moment when you felt free, young and hopeful. Lucky Brand is about the summer before you went off to college, the friends you grew up with, freedom from the past and no fear for what lies ahead. It's laughing at something you're really too old to still find funny. It's the last moment of innocence as you travel into adulthood.

Now that you know what Lucky Brand is, let's learn a little bit about what it's not. It's not "out there." It's not a "look." It's not about under age waif models, co-dependent lovers or buxom beauties. It's not the product of "got to put something out there..." Lucky Brand believes that part of what makes a brand great is what you don't do with it. It never compromises on quality or styling. It never sells out. Lucky Brand Jeans isn't everywhere so it's no longer special. It doesn't think short term. It doesn't cut a deal based on desperation. It doesn't put anything before product.

In a world where everything is a little too big, where nothing seems personal or original anymore, Lucky Brand stands out like the last bastion of quality and integrity left in a marketplace polluted with the compromised and mediocre. As everybody rushed to sell out, as everyone looked to cut corners and as everyone gave up on product, Lucky Brand stayed the course and found that sometimes, it's about what you don't do.