Founder, Koos Manufacturing

Ku moved to Los Angeles from Seoul in 1975 with his parents and launched Koos Manufacturing in 1985. At its beginning, the jeans company made clothing for Lucky Brand, Calvin Klein, Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap, Banana Republic and J. Crew. In 2000 he developed his own jeans brand with designer Adriano Goldschmied, called AG Adriano Goldschmied. Goldschmied was a co-creator of Diesel. Ku bought out Goldschmied in 2004. The company runs a production facility in South Gate and in Aguascalientes, Mexico. It operates 17 AG stores.

YEARS ON THE LA500: 5