In the German city of Mannheim it is rumored that in 1975 Nevin Özcelik was one of the first to open a jeans shop. Kerem Özcelik, Özcelik's son, grew up with jeans and it is therefore hardly surprising that he developed a deep connection to the blue fabric at an early age. Over 40 years later, his love for denim still exists. As the founder of the Mannheim denim label Goldgarn Denim, which he launched in 2015, he was able to shape his passion. Goldgarn Denim was sold to Masquare Mode GmbH in 2018. Özcelik is still active today as a consultant for the label. 
Goldgarn Denim is designed in Mannheim and manufactured in Turkey. Its special touch is that each pair of trousers has an inside pocket printed with the symbol of the Mannheim squares-an unmistakable extra for local patriots of the city. "We are Mannheim residents and we have always felt a deep connection to the city, which we also express through our products. Besides this very personal touch Mannheim also offers an incomparable range for start-ups. Especially in the last years Mannheim has developed a lot, the city is pulsating, extremely innovative and there are hardly any founders and creative people elsewhere who set fresh impulses. The DNA of our brand will therefore always be tied to Mannheim, because this is where everything started for us, this is where we want to give something back and this is where our heart will always be beating," explains Elena Engel, Goldgarn Denim's marketing manager. 
What is important to the makers of Goldgarn Denim is authenticity and jeans that not only have an optimal fit but are also suitable for everyday use. Goldgarn Denim is about less orientation to trends and more loyalty to the needs of customers. To be able to do that, the brand maintains close contact with its customers and attaches great importance to feedback from its denim wearers. Engel says,"Over the past three years, we have systematically driven this process forward exclusively in Mannheim, interacting closely with the scene and our target audience, and have now launched the second round of orders on the international market for the first time." According to Goldgarn Denim after only one year, more than 150 retailers in Europe have already placed their trust in the label. The jeans for women and men start at a retail price of €99 and go up to about €139. 
Goldgarn is currently working closely with Engelhorn, one of the best-known retailers in Mannheim-and Germany respectively. Despite having launched a pop-up store from March to July at Q6Q7, a mall in the heart of Mannheim's city center, the brand owners do not want to concentrate on their own stores for the time being, but rather on the wholesale expansion of the brand in Germany, Austria, Holland and Switzerland. The rest of Europe will then follow.
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Photo: Goldgarn
Detail of Goldgarn jeans
Photo: Goldgarn Denim
Goldgarn campaign s/s 2020
Photo: Goldgarn Denim
Goldgarn Denim s/s 2020 campaign
Please note: This story is also published in our current magazine #290, 'The Best of Denim' issue.
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