JBC’s parent company asks star designer Jordy Arthur Vaesen to revive HNST jeans

Claes Retail Group, the parent company of JBC and CKS, among others, is relaunching the Belgian jeans brand HNST. Influencer and designer to the stars Jordy Arthur Vaesen is taking on the role of creative director, with the goal of transforming the sustainable niche brand into a widely embraced label—in every sense of the word.

A fledgling brand with room to grow

After CRG’s acquisition of HNST in 2024, it took some time to find the right direction. Sustainability manager Anaïs Claes said at last year’s RetailDetail Night that the group was looking to better connect with customers: the circular jeans had to remain affordable in order to “make sustainable choices mainstream.” “Democratizing sustainability—that’s our mission,” she said at the time.