Is Joop! a good brand?+
Joop! is a German luxury fashion house specialising in contemporary clothing and cosmetics, and in Germany it is genuinely well established, with brand awareness reaching 82% of the population. It is best understood as a mid-range-priced contemporary label with a long heritage rather than a top-tier couture name. For clothing it is strongest in German, Austrian and Swiss markets, while its fragrances have a much wider international reach.
Are Joop! fragrances worth buying?+
Joop!'s fragrance range is arguably what the house is most notable for internationally; the line was originally launched in 1987, just after the fashion label itself. The fragrances were introduced to the American market in the mid-1990s and have been a long-running staple since. If you are drawn to the brand through scent rather than ready-to-wear, you are following the line that has travelled the furthest beyond Germany.
How does Joop! compare to Hugo Boss?+
There is a real corporate connection worth knowing: Joop!'s clothing and accessories are owned by the Swiss-based Holy Fashion Group, whose owners are descendants and former owners of Hugo Boss. So both brands share part of their lineage. In positioning, Joop! sits as a mid-range contemporary label, strongest in the German-speaking markets, while Hugo Boss casts a wider global net.
Who founded Joop! and what does the name mean?+
Joop! was founded as a designer label by German fashion designer Wolfgang Joop in Hamburg, Germany, in 1986. The name is simply his surname, pronounced roughly "yope" in German. He added the exclamation mark deliberately to distinguish the brand from himself as an artist, which is the small but telling detail behind the logo.
Does Wolfgang Joop still own Joop!?+
No. Wolfgang Joop and his estranged business partner sold 95% of their shares to an investor in 1998, though he stayed on as creative director, and he sold the remaining 5% and left the company in 2001. The brand has since changed hands several times. Today the clothing and accessories business is owned by the Swiss-based Holy Fashion Group, while the fragrance and cosmetics business sits with Coty, Inc. of New York.
What products does Joop! make?+
Joop! offers contemporary womenswear and menswear under the Joop! Collection and Joop! Casual labels, plus shoes and accessories, underwear (Joop! Bodywear), jewellery, watches (Joop! Time), fragrances, and a home collection (Joop! Living). It is a broad lifestyle house spanning fashion through to scent and homeware, mostly at a mid-range price level.
What is Joop! Jeans?+
Joop! Jeans was a secondary denim and sportswear collection created in 1988, two years after the main label launched. Along with the kidswear line, it was discontinued in the late 2000s, so it is no longer part of the current range, something to keep in mind if you come across older Joop! Jeans pieces second-hand.
Who owns Joop! today?+
Ownership is split by business unit. The fashion and accessories side is owned by the Swiss-based Holy Fashion Group, based in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland, whose owners are descendants and former owners of Hugo Boss. The fragrance and cosmetics business remains with Coty, Inc. of New York. This division dates back to 2003, when the brand was split among former licensees.
Where can I buy Joop! clothing?+
Joop! sells primarily in the German, Austrian and Swiss markets, where it maintains retail stores in Hamburg and Düsseldorf, an online store and several outlet stores. In 2020 the brand announced it would expand its men's collection to the UK, operating via a showroom in Wapping, London, so availability outside the German-speaking core has been growing.
How big is Joop! in Germany?+
Very well known: in Germany, Joop!'s brand awareness reaches 82% of the population. That domestic strength is a big part of its identity, even though its fashion presence is concentrated in the German-speaking markets while its fragrances enjoy a far broader international footprint.
What is Joop!'s heritage and history?+
The house began when Wolfgang Joop, who had sold designer clothing under his own name since 1981, formally established the label in Hamburg in 1986 and built a successful licensing business across womenswear, menswear, kidswear, accessories and home. The fragrances followed in 1987 and the Joop! Jeans line in 1988. After Joop departed in 2001, the brand passed through bankruptcy and was split among former licensees in 2003, arriving at its current owners, Holy Fashion Group for fashion and Coty for fragrance.
