By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
Top 10 global licensing agency Brand Central has just signed a licensing agreement with viral New York lifestyle brand ‘Old Jewish Men’.
The cult brand got its start in 2015 as a street photography project, documenting the old Jewish men of New York City, but has since grown into a cultural phenomenon. Today, OJM is equal parts media brand and clothing company, having constructed a singular universe built around the irreverent, unapologetic spirit of the old Jewish man.
OJM fashion has famously been worn by fans of the brand like Larry David, Selena Gomez, Mel Ottenberg, Benny Blanco, and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders — and loved by fishmongers and pastrami slicers everywhere. It now looks to expand its reach with the leading licensing agency. The partnership will expand OJM’s licensing footprint across new consumer product categories, bringing the brand’s singular blend of Jewish humor, nostalgia, and street credibility to a broader retail audience.
“Jewish culture and humor is such a big part of the Zeitgeist and no consumer brand has captured that audience like Old Jewish Men, said Brand Central CEO Ross Misher. “We’re ready to turn these mensches into merchandise.”
Old Jewish Men really took off when the legendary comic actor and screenwriter Larry David wore OJM-branded shorts during the farewell season of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Fuelled by the comic ethos of Old Jewish Men, the brand has produced not only viral apparel pieces but also live events, promoted across OJM’s 1 million social followers. The brand has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, GQ, Interview Magazine, The Times of London, Vogue, and more. The brand’s debut book, The Old Jewish Men’s Guide to Eating, Sleeping, and Futzing Around (Workman/Hachette, 2024), is a USA Today bestseller, and has earned praise from The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and the Jewish community at large.
Misher says Brand Central intends to extend the OJM brand beyond ecommerce, social media and publishing, and into collaborations in categories including food and beverage, lifestyle products, toys and collectibles, paper goods and much more.
“We’ve always known OJM was bigger than just clothing or social media,” said Old Jewish Men co-founder Bryan Serversky. “This partnership with Brand Central is our chance to prove it, bringing our characters and world into product categories we’ve been dreaming about since day one.”
OJM’s online store has already produced a string of hit products — from the Bagel Sweatshirt and Schlep Tote to the Pickle Princess Crop Top — with offerings that span streetwear-inspired apparel, footwear, and jewelry. The brand has cultivated a loyal customer base across all 50 states and dozens of countries worldwide, from Europe to Asia.
OJM has also cultivated a roster of licensing collaborations that reflect its community-first ethos.
It has an ongoing partnership with Courage Bagels — widely regarded as the best bagel shop in the country — that has produced co-branded merchandise and joint events, uniting two of the most talked-about names in food and fashion culture.
The brand also has a season-long partnership with the Brooklyn Cyclones, the New York Mets’ High-A affiliate, and is currently helping Gwyneth Paltrow bring her Los Angeles food company, Goop Kitchen, to the New York market.
And in perhaps the highest honor in all of Jewish New York, OJM mascot Dave has his photo hanging at the legendary Katz’s Delicatessen — immortalized in the brand’s “Mommy’s Little Matzo Ball” shirt.
“OJM is cutting edge, which is why New Yorkers love it,” said Old Jewish Men co-founder Noah Rinsky. “They get it. And if you can make it in New York you can make a stink anywhere. New Yorkers always sniff out the good stuff first. Now it’s time for OJM worldwide.”
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