Elie Tahari

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Elie Tahari's boutique in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City

Elie Tahari's boutique at The Forum Shops at Caesars in Las Vegas, Nevada

Elie Tahari is a designer of men and women's clothing. He has evolved a $500 million business, with a presence on five continents, in more than 600 US stores and in five free-standing boutiques.

Tahari grew up in an Israeli orphanage and immigrated to the United States in the 1970s with little money. After his arrival in New York, he sought work in Manhattan's The Garment District, where he learned about the fashion retail business. His position selling clothing from a boutique in Greenwich Village introduced him to women's fashion. He began designing women's fashion inspired by the New York City nightclub scene.

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.

In the 1980s, Tahari turned his focus to the tailored suit, with designs geared to look both smart and sexy.

Even with these accomplishments, Elie Tahari felt something was missing. Just after he blew out the candles on his 46th birthday he met his wife. In his own words, "Rory is my greatest love, and therefore, my greatest inspiration." In a truly collaborative effort, this unique husband-wife team has tripled the size of the company in the last five years, injecting the brand with new meaning and vigor with the launch of the Elie Tahari Collection.

Women have been drawn to Elie Tahari designs for over three decades, and this devoted following continues to revel in the feminine embellishments, sensual fabrics, and subtle textures that have come to define the Elie Tahari collection.

In the United States, Tahari has boutiques in New York, Boston, East Hampton, Atlanta, and Las Vegas. In the 2007 movie Enchanted, two characters are shown shopping at Tahari's New York City store.

It is also worth mentioning that he and his former business partner Andrew Rosen co-founded the Theory fashion brand in 1997. Tahari designed the clothes and Rosen was in charge of marketing and sales. Elie Tahari sold his share of the business for a reported $53 million in 2003 and is no longer involved in the company.