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Founded in 1877 by a sea captain named Helly Hansen, the eponymous company returned to Nordic ownership in late 2006 when Bahrain-based Investcorp sold the Norwegian outdoor-wear supplier to Sweden's Altor Equity Partners. The company is the British arm of Helly Hansen, a Norwegian maker of waterproof apparel for outdoor sports and work. The firm's foul-weather offerings feature three layers of apparel to keep the wearer warm and dry. The base layer uses polypropylene yarn that wicks moisture away from the body. The company makes clothing for men, women, and children.

Executive Moshe Tsabag, a 'tween apparel veteran, founded Hot Kiss in 1996. In early 2008 Bluestar Alliance, which owns the Liz Lange business, bought a majority stake in Hot Kiss. Straddling the fidgety ground between 'tweens and millennials is ultra-trendy Hot Kiss. The young women's casual apparel maker distributes its garb through department and specialty stores (mostly located in shopping malls) across the US, including Nordstrom, Wet Seal, and Dillard's, as well as through two of its own showrooms (Los Angeles, New York City) and a Web site. The company distributes its apparel internationally, primarily in the Middle East and Asia.

Hugo Boss outfits inhabitants of (and aspirants to) the corner office with brands including BOSS, a line targeted at executives; trendy, casual HUGO; and the more uptrend BOSS Selection. Hugo Boss designs and licenses clothes, accessories, cosmetics, and fragrances sold through its 1,200 shops and other retailers in some 80 countries. Known for its menswear, Hugo Boss has also entered womenswear, footwear, and leather goods. The firm was founded by its namesake in 1923 to make work clothes. It moved into suits in the 1950s and expanded beyond business wear in the 1990s. Hugo Boss is part of the Valentino Fashion Group.

I.C. Isaacs & Company is putting all of its jeans in one laundry basket. A leading US licensee for French designer Girbaud, the company designs and makes jeans and sportswear targeting a young, fashionable urban market. It has otherwise cleaned out its closet to focus entirely on its Girbaud brand. (In 2001 I.C. Isaacs terminated its licenses with BOSS and Beverly Hills Polo Club and discontinued its own Urban Expedition and Isaacs lines.) The company's clothes are sold in about 1,500 specialty and department stores. The family of designers Marithe Bachellerie and Franois Girbaud has increased its stake in I.C. Isaacs to about 70%, making it the company's biggest shareholder.

Intimas Group gives Nottingham one more claim to fame. A lace manufacturer until 2004, Intimas makes and markets women's lingerie, nightwear, and swimwear. It produces private-label garments for others under the Lepel, DM, Charnos Lingerie, and Ted Baker Intimates names. It has made a full line of lingerie, swimwear, and nightwear through a licensing agreement with Ted Baker for sale within the UK and Ireland. Shortly after collapsing into administration (the equivalent of Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US), Intimas was acquired by textiles manufacturer Linwood Fabrics in 2009.

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