Juicy Couture: Ultra Juicy

From sweats, to dresses, to handbags, to jewelry, to perfume, every girl wishes for something Juicy… Juicy Couture! Founded by Pamela Skaist-Levy and Gela Nash-Taylor in 1996, the brand’s popularity soared through the roof especially after it was purchased by the Liz Claiborne fashion company. Originally, Juicy Couture was famous for its velour tracksuits, but now it provides a range of contemporary to dressy clothing items along with accessories, perfumes, and more.

Founders, Pamela and Gela, actually began their company in 1995 in California and called it Travis Jeans. It was originally a boutique for maternity pants. Their idea quickly evolved into a boutique that would provide affordable, girly clothing that was readily available to the general public. At first, they only sold casual wear and athletic wear which is what led to their success with velour track suits. As their success grew, so did their range of products… and unfortunately their prices as well.   

The velour tracksuit craze that has yet to die out can be partially credited to Madonna to whom the founders of Juicy Couture sent their original designs. Her tracksuit was embroidered with the word “Madge,” which is rarely seen on their clothing anymore. Immediately after Madonna was spotted donning her tracksuit, Juicy Couture became an overnight success. It wasn’t until the late 2000s that Juicy Couture became readily available. Their products were limited at first, and their brand was sold only at a few department stores such as Neiman Marcus, but Juicy Couture items can now be found at many department stores including Macy’s, Bloomingdales and more.

In 2006, the brand took their label a step further releasing a line called “Couture Couture” which included higher priced items. This line was the first to be sold only in high end department stores and boutiques. In 2008, the brand released their first collection of lingerie, perfume, children’s apparel and even a plus-sized collection titled “Extra Juicy.” This year they released a holiday collection which includes everything from boots to rich, holiday-colored nail polishes, jewelry, and of course, their now famous handbags. Recently, Pamela and Gela also had Barbie Dolls created after them with a fairy tale theme, and the back of the box told their story: “Once upon a time in a land called Pacoima, there were two nice girls who liked stuff…” Makes perfect sense!   

The Juicy Couture style consists of simple designs and often not too many patterns, but instead subtle pieces of hardware such as gold or silver buckles, accents, sequins or rhinestones. As mentioned before, their tracksuits and handbags are usually the pieces with the most detail. Alongside other high end brand names, Juicy Couture is part of a culture where clientele buys their clothing, accessories and perfumes not because they are wanting to make a fashion statement, but rather because it’s something fun and edgy to buy if you are able to afford it. Juicy Couture may not be unique in terms of fashion, but there’s no doubt that any woman would love some Juicy in their wardrobe!

-Golda Steinberg