CEO and owner Renzo Rosso founded Diesel in 1978. Diesel jeans are considered high-octane by some in the fashion-forward set. Despite noxiously high prices, Diesel takes pride in producing unusual yet modish men's and women's casual wear. The company also makes sportswear and kids' clothes, and its name is licensed to makers of jewelry, watches, leather goods (handbags, wallets), eyewear, fragrances (Only the Brave, Fuel for Life), and footwear. Diesel's products are sold in more than 80 countries through department stores and specialty retailers, as well as at about 400 company-owned Diesel stores globally. The company also markets its goods through catalogs.

Founded in 1987, Click Wine Group is a Seattle-based company that owns and imports wine from around the world. Click Wine Group imports a good many Australian wines into the US but has gained more fame from its French label, FAT bastard. The company is a co-owner of the label, which sells for $10 to $12 a bottle. (FAT bastard, which is made by Thierry Boudinaud, is one of the top-selling French wines in the US.) Not in business to sell cheap wine, the company endeavors to strip wine of its perceived haughtiness by offering wines from exceptional vintners that have easy to pronounce names and consumer friendly packaging. Its wines are available throughout the US.

Gitanjali Gems doesn't do things the old fashioned way. In an industry known for tradition and family-owned firms like DeBeers, the Indian newcomer has set tradition at naught. It sources, machine cuts and sets, and retails diamond and gem jewelry offering a dozen brands (Gili, Asmi, D'Damas, Rivaaz) across several retail channels, instead of trying to build the prestige of one name. Gitanjali has production plants in India, Thailand, Vietnam, and China with marketing outposts in Europe, Japan, and the US. Retail outlets include Gitanjali Lifestyle stores (1,200+), Samuels and Rogers in the US, mass merchants, and catalogs. The company has also launched a designer apparel label under the Gitanjali name.

Alfred Franks and Bartlett PLC company was founded in 1918. Alfred Franks and Bartlett is dedicated to protecting the eyes of its customers and providing accessories that bring their look together. Primarily, the company imports sunglasses for wholesale distribution to retailers such as Woolworths, Matalan, and Peacock, as well as those outside the UK. It has expanded its business to include fashion jewelry, hair accessories, belts, bags, and beauty and personal care items. Alfred Franks and Bartlett specializes in children's shades that carry well-known licensed brands and images such as those of Barbie, SpongeBob SquarePants, the Simpsons, and Disney's portfolio of characters.

Fat Cat company designs toys for dogs and cats with the goal of providing entertainment for pets and their owners. Its products include non-traditional catnip-stuffed and rubber toys in the forms of various animals and, of course, politicians. In addition to the catnip-filled character toys of Fat Cat's past (resembling former presidents Bill Clinton and George "Dubya" Bush, as well as Ross Perot and Bill Gates), its lines also feature likenesses of Hillary Rodham Clinton and California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Fat Cat toys are sold through pet product retailers, supermarkets, animal clinics, and gift stores nationwide.

Golden Resorts Group Ltd. company makes and sells watches throughout China, the Middle East, and North and South America. The company purchased two casino resorts in 2005 as a way to diversify and take advantage of the booming tourist business in nearby Macao. The Casa Real Hotel and Grandview Hotel feature nearly 800 rooms, more than 100 gaming tables, and about 125 slot machines. The VIP rooms contain more than 30 gaming tables for high rollers. The company plans to increase its high roller business in the future and continue expanding the watch line. CEO Yuet Wah Chu owns about 12% of Golden Resorts.

Bienestar International wants consumers to think about the well-being of the people who work for its manufacturers. Bienestar and its No Sweat Apparel brand broke into the market by emphasizing fair labor practices -- outsourcing its manufacturing to union shops that pay living wages and offer benefits to workers. The company offers plain and screen-printed T-shirts, hoodies, accessories, and shoes for men, women, and children. Products are retailed through Bienestar's e-commerce site and more than 150 specialty stores in the US, Canada, and Europe. It also wholesales its merchandise to schools, churches, and other groups. CEO Adam Neiman and his wife, VP Natalia Muina, each own about 40% of the firm.

IWP International plc company makes and markets personal care products, including cosmetics, soaps, fragrances, perfumes, and toiletries. IWP's brand names include CCUK, Collection 2000, and Constance Carroll cosmetics; Fade Out skin care; and Jerome Russell Bblonde!, Taylor by London, and Batiste fragrances. The firm's products are sold through retailers the likes of Boots and ASDA. Looking to lighten its load, IWP sold its Royal Sanders scent to G&I Alliance in June 2007. It also sold off its household products subsidiary and its self-adhesive label division. IWP markets its products in Europe.

Jacques Moret sounds like a French Impressionist but its business is in outfitting casual athletes rather than galleries. The company, which does business as The Moret Group, makes women's, men's, and kid's activewear and undergarments under the Jacques Moret, MoretUltra, and Jacques Moret Kids names. It also makes men's and women's undergarments marketed under the 2(X)ist and SBH Intimates monikers. Jacques Moret is the master licensee for Everlast Worldwide. The company also partners with the likes of Jockey, Mudd, DKNY, Spalding, Freestyle by Danskin, and Etonic. Jacques Moret's products are sold through department stores, mass merchandisers, and sporting goods chains nationwide.

Nautica sails the deep blue seas to provide classic American apparel. The upscale clothier designs, makes, and retails men's sportswear, outerwear, underwear, swimwear, and sleepwear. It also licenses its name for apparel and accessories. The company reversed course and tweezed women's wear from its wardrobe to focus on its men's sportswear, licensed products, and Web site. It still sells women's sportswear and sleepwear through Nautica.com and in select Nautica outlet stores. Namesake items are sold through more than 200 licensed Nautica stores worldwide; V.F. operates some 100 Nautica stores in US outlet malls. The manufacturer and retailer is owned by V.F. Corporation.

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