Page 25 - RLI June 2019
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INNOvATION,                                                                                              year and is rapidly creating a favourable customer perception
                                                                                                                                 In recent years, the brand has grown by 20 per cent each

                                                                                                                               in its new markets. In the past month alone, the company has
                                                                                                                               inaugurated  five  new  stores  across  five  countries:  Ukraine,
                  FIT & QUALITy                                                                                                Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Morocco. The new Moroccan
                                                                                                                               store is the third in the country and the second in Casablanca.
                                                                                                                                 “By 2020, we aim to achieve a 20 per cent growth to become
                                                                                                                               one  of  the  most  preferred  denim  brands  in  our  operating
                                                                                                                               markets. Accordingly, we aim to launch approximately 50 new
                                                                                                                               stores in our target markets by the end of the year,” says Eroglu.
                                                                                                                                 Looking  forward,  the  company  is  particularly  excited
                                                                                                                               about the Tunisian, Moroccan, Lebanese, Czech, Hungarian,
                                                                                                                               Polish, Iraqi and Egyptian markets. The company opened its
                                                                                                                               first store in Morocco in early 2018 and they aim to cement
                                                                                                                               their investments across North Africa within three years.
                                                                                                                                 There  is  also  a  roadmap  in  place  for  the  Balkans  and
                                                                                                                               Central  Europe,  while  Greece  and  Slovakia  are  attractive
                                                                                                                               markets  due  to  their  young  population. The  Far  East  also
                                                                                                                               offers  significant  opportunities  for  the  brand  and  they
                                                                                                                               have  been  closely  following  and  looking  into  investment
                                                                                                                               opportunities in China and India in recent months.
                                                                                                                                 A  large  organisation  with  stores  across  the  world,
                                                                                                                               Colin’s  main  concern  remains  translating  customer  trends
                                                                                                                               into  products. To  maintain  its  current  global  position,  the
                                                                                                                               company regularly travels to the world’s fashion capitals to
                                                                                                                               attend trade fairs, and visit its own stores across the world.
                                                                                                                                 “We  follow  the  latest  customer  trends  and  design
                                                                                                                               our  products  in  Turkey  and  other  countries,  using  new
                                                                                                                               techniques  and  working  with  different  design  houses,  R&D
                                                                                                                               units,  manufacturers  and  clothiers. These  designs  are  later
                                                                                                                               manufactured at the highest quality and speed to be delivered
                                                                                                                               to our stores and presented to our customers,” explains Eroglu.
                                                                                                                                 A huge presence in the lives of its core customer market,
                                                                                                                               social media plays a substantial part in the current marketing
                                                                                                                               strategies  of  Colin’s  and  as  such  they  make  significant
                                                                                                                               investments in this field. They do not consider social media
                                                                                                                               as a commercial platform, but rather a means to establish
                                                                                                                               genuine  communication  and  to  engage  and  strengthen  its
                                                                                                                               connections  with  young  people.  One  channel  they  have
                                                                                                                               focused  on  in  recent  times  is  the  sponsoring  of  e-sports   “By 2020, we aim to achieve a 20 per
                                                                                                                               events, which are very much loved by young people and they   cent growth to Become one of the most
                                                                                                                               invest in their preferred platforms of YouTube to strengthen
                                                                                                                               its ties to the youth of today.                preferred denim Brands in our operating
                                                                                                                                 “We  prioritise  providing  our  customers  with  affordable   markets. accordingly, we aim to launch
                                                                                                                               products that will make them feel cool and comfortable and
                                                                                                                               which suits their preferences. Our brand serves whatever suits   approximately 50 new stores in our
                                                                                                                               our customers. Seeing smiles on our customers’ faces is our   target markets By the end of the year”
                                                                                                                               ultimate  motivation.  Our  customers  love  to  return  to  our
         Not just in the garment business, ColiN’s is in the business of making people feel better                             stores as they know they’ll always leave smiling,” says Eroglu.
                                                                                                                                 Driven by its self-confidence, its customer-centric approach
          with its products and services. Here, Rli sits down with Chief Executive Chairman Yavuz                              and its successful track record, COLIN’S is designed at every
                                                                                                                               level to become Turkey’s first globally successful fashion brand.
                  Eroglu to discuss the business and what the future holds for the company.                                    Its  strength  and  conviction  are  founded  on  the  mission  to
                                                                                                                               inspire young people to enjoy life more with its denim jeans.

                                  OLIN’S offers innovation, fit and quality in its stores   In the past 12 months, Colin’s has launched 40 new
                                  all over the world. Its understanding of innovation   stores  in  13  countries,  along  with  rejuvenating  and
                                  makes  for  striking  showcases,  creative  collections   globalising the brand perception.
                         C and diversity where customers feel different feelings.   “In  addition  to  our  country-specific  marketing
                         Its understanding of fit means that customers can be free to feel   and  advertisement  activities,  we  have  also  initiated
                         comfortable and to reflect their own personal style, while it’s   global  campaigns  to  connect  our  markets,”  explains
                         understanding of quality means they can always offer sustainable   Yavuz  Eroglu,  Chief  Executive  Chairman  of  COLIN’S.
                         qualities with its colour, fabric, stitching, durability and stance.  “COLIN’S  Jeans  Fest  is  one  of  the  best  examples  of
                           Today the company has a portfolio of more than 600 stores   this. The youth in all corners of the world brim with the
                         across 38 countries. In addition to its home market of Turkey,   same excitement and desire to discover. As the brand
                         its  major  markets  are  Russia,  Ukraine,  Romania,  Belarus,   of choice for the young and the young at heart, we have
                         Morocco and Georgia. The brand also operate franchises in   molded this desire into the Jeans Fest. Running for nine
                         the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Greece, Azerbaijan, Moldova,   years now, it has become a brand association and our
                         Uzbekistan, Algeria, Cyprus, Jordan, Palestine, Qatar, Kosovo,   customers in our operating countries eagerly await the
                         Serbia, Libya, Ivory Coast, Iran and Kazakhstan.  next festival.”

        24 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL JUNE 2019
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