Chippendales
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, Dance, Burlesque |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Founder | Somen "Steve" Banerjee, Bruce Nahin |
| Headquarters | Las Vegas , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Male striptease performances, licensed merchandise (clothing, gaming machines) |
| Website | chippendales |
Chippendales is a traveling dance troupe recognized for its male striptease acts, distinguished by the iconic attire featuring a bow tie, collar, and shirt cuffs worn on a bare chest, paired with jeans and underwear.
Since its inception in 1979, Chippendales has been a trailblazer in the all-male stripping industry, primarily catering to female audiences. The organization stages Broadway-style American burlesque productions worldwide and extends its brand through licensed merchandise such as clothing and gaming machines. The troupe maintains a regular performance schedule at The Linq in Las Vegas.
History
Chippendales was launched by Indian American businessman Somen "Steve" Banerjee alongside Los Angeles attorney Bruce Nahin. In 1975, Banerjee took ownership of Destiny II, a struggling bar in West Los Angeles, which he transformed into Chippendales in 1979 to feature exotic dance events aimed at women—a concept that rapidly gained popularity.
Banerjee expanded the enterprise by opening venues in New York, Dallas, and Denver, and establishing three touring groups that performed across the United States and Europe. Confronted with rising competition, Banerjee resorted to hostile measures including attempts to set fire to rival establishments.
In 1987, Banerjee arranged for the assassination of his business partner Nick De Noia through hired operatives. He also conspired to commit two additional murders before being apprehended in 1993 on charges including murder-for-hire, racketeering, and attempted arson. Sentenced to 26 years in prison, Banerjee died by suicide while incarcerated one year later.
Amid the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, Chippendales pivoted to producing workout videos as an alternative way to engage their audience during lockdown periods.
Legal affairs
The company has persistently protected its trademark against competing male entertainment groups. In 1980, Chippendales secured registration of its distinctive "Cuffs and Collar" costume as a trademark after reaching an agreement with Hugh Hefner facilitated by Playboy model Dorothy Stratten. Although this registration was granted based on acquired distinctiveness, Chippendales sought recognition of the mark as inherently distinctive. The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board upheld the examiner’s ruling that it was not inherently distinctive but confirmed the legitimacy of the 2003 registration.
On October 1, 2010, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed this judgment without undermining the validity of the 2003 trademark registration. A significant element was testimony from a Chippendales expert witness conceding that their dancers’ attire was "inspired" by Playboy Bunny costumes, which similarly include a bow tie and shirt cuffs.
In April 2011, law enforcement in St. Joseph, Missouri shut down a performance by an unauthorized group impersonating Chippendales for breaching adult entertainment regulations, highlighting ongoing efforts to safeguard the brand from infringement.
Notable dancers and hosts
In November 2010, former The Bachelor contestant fiancée Vienna Girardi hosted Chippendales' "Ultimate Girls Night Out," followed by Dancing with the Stars professional Karina Smirnoff in December. Jersey Shore personality Ronnie Magro served as guest host in February 2011. Singer Jeff Timmons performed with the troupe during summer 2011. Current Chippendales dancers Jaymes Vaughan and James Davis appeared on The Amazing Race. In 2012, actor Joey Lawrence participated in a special engagement at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Early choreographers from the 1980s included Michael Rapp, John Bernard Richardson, Dean Mammales, Scott Marlowe, and Jonathan Hagan.
In popular culture
The 1990 Saturday Night Live episode included a memorable sketch titled "Chippendales Audition", where Chris Farley competed against guest host Patrick Swayze. The 1997 British movie The Full Monty drew inspiration from male striptease troupes similar to Chippendales.
Various dramatizations have portrayed Steve Banerjee, the founder of the company, and its background. These include the 2000 television film The Chippendales Murder, the 2001 direct-to-video release Just Can't Get Enough, and the 2022 Hulu miniseries Welcome to Chippendales. Efforts to develop feature films about Chippendales have involved prominent industry figures such as director Tony Scott, producer Alan Ball, actor-producer Salman Khan, and director Craig Gillespie, with projects often linked to actors like Dev Patel.
The narrative of the company has also been covered in true crime programming, including the 2021 documentary series Curse of the Chippendales on Amazon Prime and Discovery+, written and directed by Jesse Vile.
Literature
- David Henry Sterry: Master of Ceremonies: A True Story of Love, Murder, Roller Skates and Chippendales (Grove Atlantic, 2008)
- K Scot MacDonald: Deadly Dance: The Chippendales Murders (Kerrera House Press, 2014)
See also
External links
- chippendales.com, official website