The Tamesis
Los Angeles-based brand Agolde is riding on the post-pandemic denim renaissance and has become synonymous with premium denim in all shapes and styles. Now, the brand wants to conquer the rest of your wardrobe.
“Of course, we introduced denim,” said CEO Amy Williams. “But at this point, we’ve evolved into a more contemporary collectibles brand.”
Originally founded in the early 1990s by “godfather of denim” designer Adriano Goldschmied and retail pioneer Ron Herman, the brand was later relaunched by Citizens of Humanity co-founder Jérôme Dahan. The brand built its reputation on ’90s-inspired high-waisted silhouettes and rigid fabrications, a practice that cemented its position in premium denim before expanding into other areas.
This shift is now critical to business. Today, about 40% of AGolde’s revenue comes from ready-to-wear, including knitwear, outerwear, shirting and vegan leather. While the brand has long offered basics like T-shirts and non-denim jackets, it didn’t officially launch a ready-to-wear line until early 2026, significantly expanding its product offerings. Today, the business has eight-figure revenue and has rapidly expanded from a supporting role to nearly half of the brand.
Some premium denim brands have experimented with launching ready-to-wear alongside their core categories. Rag & Bone has had some success in this area, while other companies, including Frame, remain more closely associated with denim despite selling in other categories. The challenge is getting customers to come back and buy something other than jeans — something Agold seems to be doing at a faster pace.
“Denim is one of the most natural launching pads in apparel,” said Kristen Classi-Zummo, apparel industry consultant at Circana. “This is the foundation upon which consumers build their clothing.” Brands that have successfully transcended this foundation, she adds, are those that view adjacent categories as extensions of that foundation, rather than departures from it. “When the fundamentals remain intact, consumers feel the expansion is real—and that’s what drives repeat purchases across categories.”
Agold’s world
For Williams, expansion is partly about building out the brand’s world in a more complete way. “I think with any great brand, you close your eyes and you see its very clear DNA,” she said.
Retail partners including Selfridges, Net-a-Porter and Bloomingdale’s were quick to embrace the approach, offering a broader assortment mix and marketing AGolde accordingly—not just as a denim line, but closer to a complete apparel offering.
