Jeansland Podcast
This is why I do this. Jeansland is a podcast about the ecosystem in which jeans live. There are an estimated 26 million cotton farmers around the world, and about 25% of their production goes into jeans, which could mean 6.2 million farmers depend on denim. I read estimates that at least 1 million people work in retail selling jeans, and another 1.5 to 2 million sew them. And then there are all the label producers, pattern makers, laundries, chemical companies, machinery producers, and those that work in denim mills. I mean, the jeans industry, which is bigger than the global movie and music business combined, employs a lot of human beings. And many of them, like me, love jeans. The French philosopher and existentialist Simone de Beauvoir, when visiting New York, said, "Everyone in the New York subway is a novel." I never met her, but I guess she made the observation because of the incredible diversity of people who ride the subway system. I'm convinced the people in our jeans industry are like those in the subway. They are unique, with rich and complex stories to tell, and I want to hear them. And deep inside me, I think you might feel the same way.
https://jeansland.co/
Jeansland Podcast
Ep 42: Fifty Years of Denim at Over the Rainbow with Joel and Daniel Carman
In 1975, Joel Carman opened Over the Rainbow with $2,000, a love of jeans, and no idea what he was doing. Fifty years later, Joel and his family run one of the longest-standing independent denim retailers in North America.
Andrew sits down with Joel and Daniel to talk about what it takes to survive five decades in retail—from the early days when Joel was making $15 a day and driving a cab at night, to the decision to go premium in 2000, and how the internet became their best marketing tool without killing the store.
Joel explains why venture capital is a bigger threat to denim than athleisure, why integrity matters more than cashing in, and what it means to stay a student of your industry even after 50 years. Daniel shares how they’ve stayed relevant by evolving every decade, hiring people smarter than them, and treating the business like it’s never just a job.
They also talk about fitting Sylvester Stallone, why European brands often fail in North America, and the jeans they actually wear.
A conversation about legacy, family, and what happens when you love what you do more than the money it makes.
Joel Carman
Founder, Over the Rainbow
Over the Rainbow, Instagram
Daniel Carman
Partner, Over the Rainbow
Over the Rainbow, Instagram