JNCO
JNCO Crown Logo
CountryUnited States
Example of emblem found on Jeans
Example of baggy "JNCOs"

JNCO, short for "Judge None Choose One", is a Los Angeles, California-based clothing company specializing in boys' and men's jeans. "JNCO was founded in 1985 by Moroccan-born, French-raised brothers Jacques Yaakov Revah and Haim Milo Revah."[1] The brand gained recognition in the 1990s with its boys' ultra-wide straight legged denim jeans featuring elaborate pocket logos and a unique street look.

History

The brothers commissioned a local LA graffiti artist Joseph Montalvo, aka Nuke, to design the brand's logo.[1] This street look was popularized throughout the 90s starting in Los Angeles and working its way through the United States. JNCO also manufactures T-shirts, khaki pants and other clothing articles for men and women. Unlike similar California based apparel manufacturers, JNCO manufactured most of its products in the United States, mainly at S.M.J. American Manufacturing Co., a 200,000-square-foot (19,000 m2) operation also owned by Milo and Jacques Revah.

After JNCOs grew in popularity, store chains such as Kohl's, J. C. Penney, Tops and Bottoms, Gadzooks, and Pacific Sunwear began to carry them.[2]

After peak sales of $186.9 million, sales halved in 1999. In the 2000s, the brothers closed the main factory.[3]

In 2015, the brand was relaunched, backed by Chinese investment firm Guotai Litian, which acquired it for a reported seven-figure amount.[4][5] However the new products were reported to be of lower quality, which resulted in increased demand for the original jeans on secondary marketplaces such as eBay.[6]

On February 15, 2018, it was announced that JNCO was to cease production and liquidate its inventory.[7] It was later clarified that this applied to the then-current licensed production under Guotai Litian, and that the brand would continue under new management.[8]

In 2019, original founder Milo Revah announced he had re-acquired the brand and intended to relaunch it alongside his daughter Camilla.[6][9] This second relaunch took place on June 28 of that year, along with a new website.[10]

Styles

JNCO jeans were produced in a variety of styles and lines, ranging from ultra-wide jeans with leg openings greater than 50 inches (1,300 mm) to more conservatively-cut styles. Some were so large that younger children often had to sit down while putting them on. After reaching the height of its popularity within the subcultures and becoming more mainstream, JNCOs were known for featuring superfluously large back pockets with graffiti-like inspired artwork embroidery that became more cartoonish as the 1990s ended including flaming skulls and the "JNCO Crown" (previously the majority of styles only had a relatively small stylized "J"). Some names of JNCO styles included Mammoths, Crime Scenes, FlameHead (geared for kids and teens), Mad Scientists, Buddha, Tribals and Rhinos, Twin Cannons, and Kangaroos, which had 34-inch (860 mm) leg openings and extremely large back pockets, featured embroidery of a kangaroo with boxing gloves above the right rear pocket.

References

  1. 1 2 "JNCO: Everything You Need to Know About the Iconic Jeans". Highsnobiety. 2020-03-16. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  2. ↑ "Once-Hot Jeans Maker's Challenge: Staying Cool While Expanding". Los Angeles Times. 18 October 2000.
  3. ↑ Smith, Aaron (2015-02-20). "JNCO jeans are totally coming back, dude". CNNMoney. Retrieved 2019-02-15.
  4. ↑ "Chinese investment firm Guotai Litian acquired Los Angeles jeans brand". SinaBeat.com. 2015-03-17. Retrieved 2022-06-30.
  5. ↑ "JNCO Brand to Be Relaunched". WWD. 2015-02-18. Retrieved 2022-06-30.
  6. 1 2 "JNCO Jeans - are you Ready for their Return?". Mixmag. 2019-06-28. Retrieved 2022-06-30.
  7. ↑ Graff, Amy (February 16, 2018). "JNCO Jeans is closing shop, and liquidating all extra wide-legged pants". SFGate.com. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
  8. ↑ "JNCO Jeans License Ending Soon and Liquidating All Inventory". jncojeans.com. March 1, 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-04-04. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
  9. ↑ "JNCO on Instagram: "LAUNCHING THIS FRIDAY. 6/28/19. More details to come. SEE YOU SOON. jnco.com"". Instagram. Retrieved 2019-06-24.
  10. ↑ Angeles, JNCO Los. "JNCO Los Angeles". JNCO Los Angeles. Retrieved 2019-06-28.
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