Rewriting the Rules
A denim-led fashion brand born in Türkiye, LTB Jeans was built on the manufacturing and entrepreneurial heritage of Çak Tekstil and Çak Holding. While its group’s roots go back to 1948, LTB developed its own identity in 1994 and continues to grow at pace. Here, we caught up with Chief International Officer Burak Eşsiz to discuss ongoing international expansion and the evolution of the brand.
The mission of LTB Jeans is to bring together great fit, reliable quality, accessible fashion and an enjoyable retail experience. Its mission is to take that identity further around the world, without losing the energy and authenticity that makes LTB recognisable. Denim is at the heart of what they do but today they offer a complete contemporary casualwear proposition.
Currently operating more than 300 mono-brand stores across its portfolio, approximately 250 of these are in Türkiye, with more than 60 open internationally. Their wider commercial presence extends to around 45 countries through retail and distribution partnerships.
Türkiye remains the foundation of the brand, whilst internationally they have developed a presence across Europe, the Balkans, Eastern Europe and Central Asia and they are building new opportunities in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. What matters to Burak and the team is not only the number of locations, but also their quality, the strength of the local operator and the long-term potential of each market.
Two recent openings capture the direction of their international strategy. On 26 September, they opened at La City Mall in Mauritius with their local partner, Mirasi Group. The 185sq m store introduced their latest retail concept to the island and is an important first step towards wider opportunities in the Indian Ocean region and selected African markets. The month before, on 15 August, the business launched a new location at Interplaza Villalobos in Guatemala. This 150sq m site marked the latest step in their Latin American journey.
Taşkınköy, Nicosia, Cyprus
These two launches, into two very different markets, highlight their approach; they bring the same denim identity and retail standards, whilst working with local partners to understand what will succeed in each individual market.
“Our international growth strategy is not simply about entering more countries or adding store numbers. My priority is to build profitable, long-term businesses with partners who genuinely understand their markets,” explains Burak Eşsiz, Chief International Officer of LTB Jeans. “We work closely with our master franchise partners from the first steps choosing the right shopping mall location, shaping the assortment and store concept, preparing the opening and supporting the operation afterwards. For me, opening a store is the beginning of a partnership, not the finish line.”
As the conversation moves onto the increased importance of e-commerce and social media channels, Eşsiz highlights that the customer journey no longer starts at the shop door. People discover a fit, a trend or a new collection on their phones long before they visit a store, so digital communication has become a central part of building a fashion brand.
Their online business in Türkiye and selected digital channels in international markets help them to reach customers beyond physical retail. At the same time, they work with their franchise partners to keep content and brand presentation consistent while allowing communication to feel local and relevant. They do not see e-commerce and stores as competing channels. In denim, the physical experience of trying on a product remains incredibly powerful, while digital keeps the relationship alive before and after the visit.
“Like e-commerce and social media, sustainability has to be part of how a business operates, not simply part of how it communicates. This is especially true in denim, where the responsible use of water, energy and chemicals are an important industry challenge,” comments Eşsiz.
Combining denim expertise and manufacturing heritage with a hands-on approach to international retail. They understand fit, fabric, wash and finish but also how important the right location, merchandising and assortment are to a store’s performance. They work with partners throughout the process, rather than treating the franchise contract as the end of it. The goal for LTB is to build stores that customers want to visit and partners can run profitably over time. It is this balance between product strength and operational execution that makes the company stand out.
“We are proud of where we have come from, but we are not interested in standing still. There is a strong entrepreneurial mind-set in the business and that is essential when you are opening new markets and building relationships across cultures. For me, business is ultimately about people. Good products may open doors, but honesty, reliability and a willingness to grow together are what keep those doors open. That is the culture I want our partners and teams to experience.”
As he looks to the future, Eşsiz feels the biggest opportunity is turning a growing international presence into a stronger, more mature network. As for their greatest challenge, this is balancing speed with discipline as consumer expectations are changing, operating costs are rising and conditions differ from country to country.
“International expansion is often measured by countries and store counts. I think the more meaningful question is what we build in those markets. Behind every opening there are teams; partners and shared decisions and I take that responsibility seriously. Our goal is not simply to be present in more places, but to become a lasting part of those markets.”
