Mavi at 25: The Turkish Brand Continues to ‘Move’ Forward
Known for it’s luxurious, hand-washed denim, perhaps no brand better represents denim’s Mediterranean aesthetic than Mavi, founded in Istanbul in 1991. From design to production to retail, Mavi is one of the rare brands that controls the entire process of making its own jeans.
A favorite of celebrities including Zac Efron, Jessica Alba, and Lady Gaga, today Mavi is sold in over 4,000 specialty stores, department stores and specialty chains in over 50 countries worldwide. Not bad for a brand that’s only just turned 25.
As the company looks forward to another quarter century of denim innovation, we chat with Alissa Friedman, Mavi’s PR and Marketing Manager, on what Mavi has planned next.
Carved In Blue: What’s new from Mavi for Spring ’17? Any new launches we should be aware of?
Alissa: For Spring ’17 we were inspired to look back to our past and reinterpret classic denim with a contemporary point of view. Paying homage to the 90’s in both style and wash, you will see lighter, vintage washes and slouchier fits, anchored by embroidery, laser details and raw hems.
Carved In Blue: How does hand-washing the jeans make a difference in the final product?
Alissa: Almost 80 different people touch a single pair of jeans during the making of a Mavi jean. Each pair is the result of superior craftsmanship utilizing premium fabrics from the best mills around the world. Mavi believes the best way to achieve the perfect fit is to control each step of the denim-making process, and we take great pride in our vertically integrated production facility in Istanbul.
Carved In Blue: Tell us about making jeans in Istanbul. How does the history and culture there influence you?
Alissa: Denim has been in our blood since birth. Mavi’s founder, Sait Akarlilar, spent over 40 years producing garments and the highest quality jeans for many international brands. As a brand born from an expert denim manufacturer, Mavi has always been able to produce the best fitting, premium products. Mavi means ‘blue’ and therefore the name itself is an endless source of inspiration. Our philosophy is to build a brand around perfect fitting jeans that convey a Mediterranean feeling in terms of fashion and detail. ‘Maviterranean’ is exotic and inspirational, contemporary and accessible, and a bit of the Mediterranean is woven into every pair of Mavi jeans.
Carved In Blue: How has Mavi changed over the last 25 years?
Alissa: We are honored to be celebrating 25 years of denim design and innovation. We have always been a brand that emphasizes originality and focuses on continuous innovation in both fabric and wash. We believe innovation in denim really comes from the fabric, and recently there has been a push from consumers for products that have the aesthetic of denim but perform better. Our new Indigo Move collection, designed in collaboration with Adriano Goldschmied, ‘The Godfather of Denim,’ is a new generation of denim focused on the concept of an active lifestyle and comfort. Capturing our ‘perfect feel’ philosophy, Indigo Move features multi-directional fabrication offering the highest level of comfort, incredible shape retention and flawless silhouettes.
Carved In Blue: What is the most challenging part of working in the denim industry?
Alissa: The future of denim has always been reliant on a constant evolution in innovation and technology to meet the changing demands of the consumer. We have been fortunate to work with leading denim mills around the world and a collection of iconic designers, allowing us to stay at the forefront of new fabric and wash innovations.
Carved In Blue: How is TENCEL® incorporated into your jeans? Why do you like working with it?
Alissa: We love working with TENCEL® because of its soft, smooth touch, lightness and level of luxury it adds to our products, but also due to the sustainability of the fiber. Mavi pushes for a cleaner, more environmentally sound global existence. We use as little water as possible throughout the entire denim making process; from the production of the fabric all the way through to the wash and finishing processes. We want to reduce our carbon footprint and continuously reinvent the technology to be more gentle on the environment.
Carved In Blue: What trends are you noticing in the market? How is Mavi responding?
Alissa: We touched on this earlier, but what’s trending is the demand for products that offer both lightness and luxury and deliver ease of movement with high recovery. We have answered this with the launch of various performance denim collections, most recently the introduction of our Indigo Move capsule collection.
Carved In Blue: Where are you seeing the most growth as a brand? Which countries/regions?
Alissa: Definitely the United States, and North America as a whole.
Carved In Blue: Why did you start working in the denim industry?
Alissa: Clearly, I get to wear jeans to work every day! I actually started in denim prior to truly understanding much about the business or the storied history of denim. I fell into a wonderful opportunity and the rest is history.
Carved In Blue: Skinny or straight?
Alissa: Skinny ankle crop!
Carved In Blue: Light wash or dark?
Alissa: Can’t go wrong with clean, dark denim
Carved In Blue: Favorite pair of Mavi’s?
Alissa: Currently coveting the Elsa Legging from our new Indigo Move collection
Carved In Blue: What does Carved in Blue mean to you?
Alissa: Jeans have become a part of our daily wardrobe. Every pair tells a story about our life, be it a moment in time or years of memories. Every crease, age mark, all the wear and tear, are our memories ‘Carved in Blue’.