A true style influencer
Recently, MAN’edged Magazine sat down with the denim god himself, Eric Goldstein. Goldstein (or as we like to call him, Dr. Denim…) has grown a global denim company and solid fan base. Here’s what he had to say about his journey and his take on men’s style:
MAN’edged Mag: Do you have a nickname?
GOLDSTEIN: “Too many.” (MAN’edged Mag prefers “Dr. Denim.”)
MAN’edged Mag: Where can people find you online?
GOLDSTEIN: www.jean-shop.com or @JeanShop
MAN’edged Mag: Where did you grow up?
GOLDSTEIN: “New Jersey, born and raised.”
MAN’edged Mag: Were you interested in fashion and style in high school?
GOLDSTEIN: “No.”
MAN’edged Mag: What were you into?
GOLDSTEIN: “More technology. I went to Philadelphia college of textiles and science, which is now Philadelphia University. I majored in textile technology and minored in apparel production. I wasn’t in the ‘fashion’ end of it. I was more in the technical end of it.”
MAN’edged Mag: How long have you had Jean Shop?
GOLDSTEIN: “I started this 13 years ago”.
MAN’edged Mag: Before that was?
GOLDSTEIN: “Gap for 11 years.”
MAN’edged Mag: Rumor has it you worked for Polo as well?
GOLDSTEIN: “I started my career at Polo. Worked for Ralph for 6 years.”
MAN’edged Mag: That was immediately following college?
GOLDSTEIN: “Yup. Went from College to Polo and worked there. Started RRL, one of the original founders of RRL. Then from there went onto the Gap. Worked at the Gap for 11 years in design, product development, and research. I was based here (NYC) but I had an office in California also. I was bi-coastal. Every week I was traveling some place. Literally. I was either going to China, Hong Kong, Mexico, or Italy. Product development stuff. Then I started 1969.”
Goldstein standing inside of the Jean Shop SOHO store. Image via @AmyTorres
MAN’edged Mag: What does a typical day look like for you?
GOLDSTEIN: “It depends on the time of year. Sometimes I’m working on design stuff. But once that’s done, it’s kind of a lot of emails and follow-up. Customers: I like to be around the product and customer. Then Meetings: Promotions, wholesale accounts or my sales people. I also follow-up with distributors or work on more designs.”