Early Life
According to Forbes, Vladimir Melnikov began his business ventures in underground sewing workshops during the 1970s. In 1989, he was convicted of attempting to smuggle dollars out of the country to purchase equipment from the United States for the Gloria Jeans sewing cooperative and spent a total of 10 years in prison.
Rise to Success
After his release, Melnikov acquired a controlling stake in a garment factory in Novoshakhtinsk in 1995. He focused on developing his own chain of stores in the late 2000s. Gloria Jeans became one of the beneficiaries of the exit of foreign fashion brands from the Russian market, renting out space in major shopping centers that previously housed stores like H&M, Zara, and Uniqlo.
Key Business Strategies
Gloria Jeans has a vast network of stores, with over 700 locations across Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. The company's success is attributed to its wide network of stores and affordable clothing prices. In 2023 alone, Gloria Jeans opened about 130 stores. The company also plans to reconstruct 200 stores and open 50-100 stores of the new brand “Ready! Steady! Go!” in 2024. In January 2025, Gloria Jeans announced that it would be discontinuing its own sewing production due to its unprofitability.
Philanthropy
In 2003, Melnikov created a charitable foundation named after the Holy Great Martyr Anastasia Uzoreshitelnitsa, which assists people in difficult life situations. In 2024, Melnikov transferred ownership of VVM Investments, through which he owned Gloria Jeans, to the charitable foundation.
