What Mavi is known for

Turkish denim brand founded in Istanbul in 1991 by Sait Akarlilar with his children Elif and Ersin Akarlilar, building on the family's Erak textile firm (est. 1959); expanded into Europe in 1994 and opened a New York office in 1996.

Mavi was founded in Istanbul in 1991 by Sait Akarlilar together with his children Elif and Ersin Akarlilar, building on decades of experience from the family's earlier textile company, Erak, established in 1959. Mavi's founding aim was to give Turkish consumers a well-fitting jeans; a national advertising campaign in 1993 and European exports from 1994 helped the brand become Turkey's best-selling jeans by 1996, the same year it opened a North American headquarters in New York. Mavi now operates its own stores and wholesale distribution across more than 30 countries, remaining headquartered in Istanbul.