Lisa Rudes-Sandel: Success in Niche Jeans Market
March 14, 2009 by Isabel Isidro
Filed under Briefs
Jeans are often associated with youth, vitality, energy — often women with toned and perfect bodies who can look good in any jean trends from the low waist to skinny jeans.
Unfortunately, many women of certain age — especially those who have given birth — have less than perfect bodies that make finding the right jeans a nightmare. Muffin shapes, pouchy tummies and other imperfections make jeans-shopping and wearing such an uncomfortable experience.
Lisa Rudes Sandel knew the experience first hand. Despite trying different types of diets and exercise, she could not flatten her stomach. Hence, she was often pushed to buying jeans three sizes bigger to find one that fit her body.
Instead of complaining, this daughter of the founder of a popular women’s denim and sportswear label (St. Germain) saw a busines opportunity. In 2003 with her sister Leslie, she started a company called Not Your Daughter’s Jeans creating jeans for women over 40 with womanly bodies. A name thought out by her father, Rudes-Sandel jeans line is for the often-ignored baby boomer women, not for the waif-thin young girls and perfect-bodied glamazons.
With more than $50 million in sales, Rudes-Sandel’s family operated business (her husband heads the international division), her claim to fame is the patented Tummy Tuck Jeans, designed to flatten the belly, flatter the hips and offer women a comfortable fit. Her jeans are designed not to constrict the stomach, but give it comfort and mobility by adding 4% Lycra to the fabric. Her jeans are sold in top department stores such as Nordstrom and Macy’s, filling a gap in the fashion market.
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