The denim specialist GANG is setting the course for the future: Since April 1st, Marcus Grahm has officially taken over the helm as CEO of Chini & Company GmbH, the company behind the label. After an intensive five-year partnership at agency level, the experienced sales strategist is now moving permanently to the management board. In an interview with FashionUnited, Grahm talks about the “GANG spirit”, sharpening the brand identity and why real reliability is crucial in wholesale.
From strategic partner to CEO
Grahm’s career exemplifies modern leadership in the fashion world: close to the product, with a keen sense of trends and a strong entrepreneurial spirit. After studying business psychology and business administration, he went into retail in 2006. This was followed by positions as a sales manager and the founding of his own fashion agency and the label 2XM, with which he further sharpened his profile. GANG has been an integral part of his since 2021 Portfolios for Bavaria.
“After a total of 20 years of sales experience, the new task appealed to me,” says Grahm. The change from agent to CEO was a conscious decision for more overall responsibility: “As an agent, you are an independent entrepreneur, but ultimately you are also somewhat dependent – depending on how the different brands perform.” The previous intensive collaboration created a deep bond. Grahm sums it up: “The collaboration to date has always been and is characterized by 100 percent trust” – a valuable basis in the fashion market.
Top three: pooling expertise
At the label, the new CEO meets a well-rehearsed team. Together with Jessica Pupavac and Klaus Niessner, he will form the strategic top three in the future. While Pupavac is responsible for the entire product range and Niessner covers the areas of finance, logistics and human resources, Grahm focuses on sales, production, marketing and e-commerce. “Our collaboration is characterized by daily exchange, transparency and openness,” says Grahm. “GANG and I can only benefit from their years of experience.” In addition, “the boundaries are often fluid” when it comes to the distribution of tasks.
At the same time, the company relies on a very clear, emotional profile. Grahm understands what the label’s core is about: “The ‘GANG’ knows exactly who they are, we know our strengths, our heart, the core of what we stand for.” The brand’s roots, a combination of denim expertise and Italian joie de vivre, remain untouchable. “It’s the joy of fashion, the joy of beautiful things. It’s exactly this identity that we have to preserve.” Nevertheless, he announces a targeted expansion: “Our core competency is and remains denim, and nothing will change in the future. And yet we want to expand the ‘Cotton’ and ‘Tailored’ areas in order to leverage our trousers expertise in other areas too.”
Strongest levers: The team and trading
It’s about much more than just the pure product. The focus is on real partnerships with retailers. “Our customers can trust GANG and the collaboration should be characterized by professional reliability.” When asked how the label wants to further differentiate itself in the highly competitive womenswear market, Grahm has a clear answer: “The strongest lever is ourselves, the GANG.”
In a challenging market environment, the company makes targeted use of new growth opportunities. The brand wants to strengthen its presence and improve the quality of distribution, especially in major German cities. Internationalization is also on the agenda, but with caution. They are trying to expand the sales channels in the Benelux countries, but he emphasizes: “What is important in everything, one step at a time, is to preserve your own identity, without missing out on new markets, but also not trying to make sales by hook or by crook.”
Grahm’s leadership style is characterized by open, clear communication: approachable, authentic and at the same time goal-oriented. For him, his new role is more than just a career step. Above all, it is “the many wonderful people who make up GANG” who motivate him every day. Being part of this team inspires him every day: “I’m really looking forward to this design process in particular.” His goal: a self-confident, focused team that masters current challenges and actively shapes the future. The signal is clear: GANG is ready for the next level – with trust, passion and a good dose of timeless cool.
