Ilse Jacobsen

Ilse Rohde Jacobsen (born Rohde Olsen 7 August 1960 in Hornbæk, died 23 October 2022)

was a Danish entrepreneur, designer and founder of Ilse Jacobsen Hornbæk as well as

former "lion" on the DR program Løvens Hule.

Jacobsen was educated at Denmark's School of Management, where she studied economics, law and political science.

From 1980, Jacobsen worked at the Work Injuries Agency and in the late 1980s at a restaurant in Ålsgårde.

Jacobsen opened his first store in Hornbæk in 1993, which was named "Ilse Jacobsen Hornbæk".

In 2000, she launched her own design for colorful rubber boots with laces, which would later become a hallmark of her company. The collection is then expanded to include fashionable rainwear and later also clothing and accessories. In the following two decades, more stores were added and in 2014 there were 23 concept stores in five countries.

Ilse Jacobsen faced a media storm in 2018 after extensive criticism of the working environment in the store chain.

Over the years, Jacobsen expanded his business empire with activities in fashion, flower shops, spa and beauty ranges.  In 2009 she opened the first flower shop, Blomsten by Ilse Jacobsen, and in 2012 she launched the maritime brand Cruize by Ilse Jacobsen.

In 2013, Ilse Jacobsen opened a luxurious spa in Hornbæk, Kurbadet by Ilse Jacobsen, which went bankrupt in 2016. The property was put up for sale in 2019.

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From 2015-2018, Jacobsen participated in three seasons as an investor in DR's entrepreneurship program Løvens Hule, but resigned in 2018 after criticism of the working environment in his own company.

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