Elie Tahari
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2009) |
Elie Tahari (born 1952 in Jerusalem) is an Israeli-American luxury fashion designer of men and women's clothing. Elie Tahari, Ltd., the company he founded, has annual revenue of around $1 to 2.5 million.[1] In 2011, one of the company's executives sued the company, accusing it of discriminating against non-Israelis.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Early life
Tahari was born in 1952 in Jerusalem, the eldest son of a Persian Jewish couple.[citation needed] He has two sisters, Aliza and Diana.[3] The family immigrated to Israel from Iran and lived then in the transition camp of Al-Qastal, now Mevasseret Zion. In 1953–1957 the family returned to Iran, then came again to Israel. As his parents divorced and his father remarried, Elie was sent by the Israeli social services into an orphanage ("Sde Hemed") in Rishon Lezion, later moving to Tel Aviv ("Maon Hayeled").[citation needed] The following years of his youth were spent in Kvutzat Schiller and in an Israeli Air Force boarding school in Haifa.[citation needed]
[edit] Moving to the US
Tahari immigrated to the United States in 1971 as an electrician.[dubious ][citation needed] Moving to New York he sought work in Manhattan's Garment District, sleeping many nights at a YMCA hotel[citation needed], or on the benches of Central Park.[citation needed] In Manhattan he learned about the fashion retail business.[citation needed] His position selling clothing from a boutique in Greenwich Village introduced him to women's fashion.[citation needed] He began designing women's fashion inspired by the New York City nightclub scene.[citation needed]
Throughout the 1970s, Tahari remained focused on women's fashions, and his designs were well received. He was one of the first fashion designers to open a boutique on Madison Avenue, in 1974.[citation needed]
In the 1980s, Tahari turned his focus to the tailored suit.[citation needed]
In the United States, Tahari has boutiques in New York, Boston, East Hampton, Atlanta, Bal Harbour,[citation needed] Boca Raton, Las Vegas, and Dallas.[citation needed] In the 2007 movie Enchanted, two characters are shown shopping at Tahari's New York City store.[citation needed]
He and his former business partner Andrew Rosen co-founded the Theory fashion brand in 1997.[citation needed] Tahari designed the clothes and Rosen was in charge of marketing and sales. Elie Tahari sold his share of the business in 2003 and is no longer involved in the company.[citation needed]
[edit] Personal life
In March 2010 Tahari and his wife Rory placed much of their U.S. real estate on the market and were reported to be attempting to get out of their commercial leases.[4] The couple divorced after their 10-year prenuptial agreement became void.[4]
