Castro
Israeli clothing brand and fashion retailer serving women, men, and children.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Castro is an Israeli fashion brand and clothing retailer specializing in ready-to-wear apparel for women and men, with later expansion into children's clothing, denim, cosmetics, and accessories. Its origins are associated with Aaron Castro, whose family came to Israel from Thessaloniki, Greece. His mother, Anina, was a professional dressmaker whose work provided an early connection to garment production and design. In the 1950s, Aaron Castro established a small Tel Aviv shop called Nina in her honor. As the operation expanded, the store's basement developed into a small factory producing ready-to-wear garments, and the business adopted the Castro name. During the 1960s, Castro broadened distribution beyond its own shop by placing clothing in Israeli department stores including Hamashbir Lazarchan and Shekem. In 1965, the company moved toward more direct retailing through Rio, a factory outlet in Tel Aviv. This combination of manufacturing, wholesale distribution, and branded retail became an important foundation for its later chain-store model. The company began exporting to Europe in 1975, demonstrating an ambition to operate beyond the Israeli market. A flagship store on Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv opened in 1985, followed by a wider network of branches across Israel. Castro entered the public markets in 1992 through an initial public offering on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. During the 1990s, the business had grown into a substantial clothing employer, with more than 1,500 workers reported at that time. The brand also broadened its commercial scope. A cosmetics line was introduced in 1994 under a licensing arrangement, while Castro began designing uniforms for Israel's Olympic teams in 1996. In August 2000, it launched Castro Men, creating a dedicated menswear proposition alongside its established women's business. The company's international retail expansion became more visible in 2003, when it opened stores in Germany. In 2005, Castro entered a 50 percent joint ownership arrangement in the international accessories chain DIVA with the United Kingdom-based DCK Concessions. Castro later added Castro Jeans in 2007, extending its portfolio into a dedicated denim line. The brand's public profile was also supported by fashion-show appearances and celebrity modeling; Gal Gadot served as a prominent model and presenter from 2008, and other Israeli models and performers were associated with Castro campaigns over the years. In 2013, Castro stated an intention to expand both women's and men's collections and introduced a children's line. That year, musician Ivri Lider designed a men's collection for the brand, linking Castro's fashion offer with a locally recognizable cultural figure. In 2014, Castro launched an online store whose merchandise was offered internationally, adding e-commerce to its physical-store network. The company also used television and digital advertising to promote product launches, including a 2014 campaign for its Push-Up jeans. A major corporate development came in 2018, when Castro acquired the Hoodies group outright through a share-exchange transaction. The deal expanded Castro's portfolio and made the combined business the largest publicly traded fashion company in Israel according to the cited reference material. Castro's overall proposition combines accessible fashion retail, multiple clothing categories, seasonal collections, physical stores, and online commerce. Its historical identity is closely tied to Israeli fashion retail, while its export, licensing, accessories, cosmetics, denim, children's apparel, and Hoodies-related activities have broadened the business beyond a single apparel category.
History
Castro developed from a small Tel Aviv clothing business into one of Israel's best-known fashion retailers. Its founder, Aaron Castro, was born into a Sephardic Jewish family connected to Thessaloniki, Greece, whose members immigrated to Israel when he was young. His mother, Anina, worked as a dressmaker and designer for private clients. Her skills and client network helped establish the business's early relationship with clothing production. In the 1950s, Aaron Castro opened a corner shop in Tel Aviv named Nina after his mother. The enterprise grew beyond conventional small-shop retail when its basement was used as a modest factory for ready-to-wear garments. As production and retail expanded, the business adopted the Castro name. In the 1960s, its clothing reached Israeli department stores such as Hamashbir Lazarchan and Shekem. In 1965, Castro pursued more direct distribution through Rio, a factory outlet in Tel Aviv. The company began exporting clothing to Europe in 1975. Its domestic retail identity became more prominent after the opening of a flagship store on Dizengoff Street in 1985, followed by a network of stores across Israel. By the 1990s, Castro had more than 1,500 workers and had become a substantial national fashion company. It filed its initial public offering in 1992 and became publicly traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Castro diversified during the 1990s and 2000s. It introduced a cosmetics line in 1994 through a licensing agreement and began designing uniforms for Israel's Olympic teams in 1996. In 2000, it established Castro Men as a dedicated men's clothing division. International retail development began in Germany in 2003. In 2005, Castro took a 50 percent stake in the accessories chain DIVA with DCK Concessions, an England-based partner. The brand launched Castro Jeans in 2007, extending its fashion offer into denim. Celebrity and cultural associations became a visible part of Castro's marketing. Gal Gadot was a leading model and fashion-show host for the brand from 2008, and the company also worked with a range of Israeli models, actors, presenters, and performers. In 2013, Castro expanded its women's and men's collections, added children's apparel, and collaborated with singer Ivri Lider on a men's collection. In 2014, the company added an online store with international availability and promoted its Push-Up jeans in a campaign featuring Gadot and two backup dancers. In 2018, Castro completed the outright acquisition of the Hoodies group in a share-exchange deal. The transaction enlarged the company's fashion portfolio and was described in the reference material as making Castro the largest publicly traded fashion company in Israel. Across its history, Castro has combined in-house retail, branded apparel lines, selective licensing, accessories, cosmetics, celebrity marketing, international stores, and digital commerce. The available reference material does not provide enough information to establish the company's current store count, ownership details, leadership roster, financial condition, or precise present-day geographic footprint.
- 2018
Hoodies acquisition completed
[1]Castro bought the Hoodies group outright through a share-exchange deal.
- 2014
Online store opens
[1]Castro launched an e-commerce store with international availability.
- 2013
Children's line added
[1]Castro expanded its adult collections and introduced children's clothing.
- 2007
Castro Jeans launches
[1]The company added a dedicated denim and jeans line.
- 2003
German expansion begins
[1]Castro opened stores in Germany as part of its international expansion.
- 2000
Castro Men launches
[1]The brand introduced a dedicated men's fashion division.
- 1996
Olympic uniform design begins
[1]Castro began designing uniforms for Israel's Olympic teams.
- 1994
Cosmetics line introduced
[1]The company launched a cosmetics line through a licensing arrangement.
- 1992
Initial public offering
[1]Castro filed its IPO and became publicly traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
- 1985
Dizengoff Street flagship opens
[1]The brand opened a flagship store on Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv and expanded its Israeli branch network.
Products and positioning
A mainstream Israeli fashion retailer offering accessible, trend-oriented apparel across women's, men's, and children's categories, supported by branded stores, licensed product extensions, and e-commerce.
Women's apparel
Castro Women's Collections
Castro's core women's business consists of seasonal ready-to-wear fashion sold through its branded retail network and online channel. The collections form the historic center of the brand and were expanded during the company's later efforts to broaden its women's and men's assortment.
Men's apparel · 2000
Castro Men
Introduced in August 2000, Castro Men gave the company a dedicated menswear proposition. The line was subsequently expanded, including a men's collection designed by Israeli singer Ivri Lider in 2013.
Denim apparel · 2007
Castro Jeans
Castro Jeans is the brand's dedicated denim line, launched in 2007. It extended Castro's apparel range into jeans-focused products and later supported marketing centered on specialized denim fits such as Push-Up jeans.
Children's apparel · 2013
Castro Children's Line
Castro added children's clothing in 2013 as part of a broader expansion of its women's and men's collections. The line extended the brand's family-oriented retail reach beyond adult apparel.
Cosmetics · 1994
Castro Cosmetics
Castro introduced a cosmetics line in 1994 through a licensing agreement. The initiative represented an early extension of the brand beyond clothing into adjacent beauty products.
Fashion accessories
DIVA
DIVA was an international accessories chain in which Castro acquired a 50 percent ownership interest in 2005 together with DCK Concessions. It was a portfolio investment and adjacent retail business rather than a core Castro apparel line.
Marketing campaigns
- 2014Push-Up jeans campaign
Israel
Castro promoted its new Push-Up jeans in a commercial featuring Gal Gadot and two backup dancers.
Outcome. The source confirms the commercial but does not report measurable commercial results.
- 2008Gal Gadot brand association
Israel
Gal Gadot became a leading model and fashion-show host associated with Castro, strengthening the brand's celebrity-led fashion marketing in Israel.
Outcome. The reference describes Gadot as a leading model and host for Castro from 2008 onward, but does not provide campaign performance data.
Brand decisions
2018
Acquire the Hoodies groupM&ABackground
Castro pursued portfolio expansion within Israeli fashion retail.
Action taken
The company acquired Hoodies outright through a share-exchange transaction.
Aftermath
The combined company was described in the reference material as Israel's largest publicly traded fashion company.
2014
Add international e-commerceStrategyBackground
Castro sought to complement its physical-store network and make its merchandise accessible beyond its domestic retail footprint.
Action taken
The company opened an online store and offered website merchandise internationally.
Aftermath
The brand added a direct digital sales channel, but the available source does not quantify its reach or performance.
2013
Broaden adult collections and add children's apparelStrategyBackground
Castro aimed to expand its women's and men's fashion offer and reach additional customer segments.
Action taken
The company expanded both adult collections and introduced a children's line.
Aftermath
The move broadened Castro's stated product scope, although the reference supplies no financial or market-share results.
2005
Take a 50 percent stake in DIVAM&ABackground
Castro sought to extend its fashion-retail activities into international accessories.
Action taken
The company entered a joint ownership arrangement for DIVA with England-based DCK Concessions, holding 50 percent of the chain.
Aftermath
The reference reports that the arrangement resulted in 23 DIVA stores, but provides no later ownership or operating details.
Sources1 sources
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