When the market made a pendulum swing in 2008, Nicole Tondre, then the
owner of the much-adored East Village vintage shop Circa Now, realized
the $300 designer denim she stocked just wouldn’t cut it anymore. “But I
wasn’t willing to go with the cheaper brands and sacrifice quality,” she
says. Her resolution was to start her own line of clean, classic,
affordable jeans; and after partnering with a veteran denim manufacturer
in India, Tondre, a former freelance designer for Calvin Klein, launched
Court. The collection, which is available at her new Nolita boutique
Courtshop, consists mainly of Seventies-inspired high-rise cuts—done in
bell, skinny, straight, and relaxed silhouettes and a range of washes.
As Tondre explains, it was a decision born out of necessity. “My
customers love the high-waisted look, but no one was getting it right.”
That is, until now.Above: Courtshop’s cotton jeans, $135, courtshop.com; Alternative Apparel’s cotton and polyester t-shirt, $20, alternativeapparel.com; 3.1 Phillip Lim shoes
Courtshop, 178 Mulberry St., NYC; courtshop.com; $110-$168
Fashion Editor: Garrett Munce
Photographer: Andreas Joseph
Hair and Makeup: Courtney Perkins
Model: Zuzana at New York
Photo Assistant: Clay Gardner
