Denim: Past, Present and Future
Denim: Past, Present and Future
denim
is the most popular apparel in the world.
The best-selling garment of all time. It’s a marker for culture. A timeless treasure that crosses ages and nationalities. But where did it come from? And when did it become such a big part of our daily style?
As true denim devotees, we wanted to dig into this legendary bottom and explore the backstory of this durable, stylish material we’ve come to know and love.
where it all started
The word “denim” comes from the name of a sturdy fabric called Serge de Nîmes, initially made in Nîmes, France.
Weavers of the city of Nîmes tried to reproduce the cotton corduroy made in the city of Genoa, Italy (Jeans = Genoa). While they didn’t recreate it perfectly, they did develop another cotton twill, now known as denim.
work wear to life wear
Did you know jeans were originally designed as men’s work pants?
They were first popular with miners, lumberjacks, cowboys and farmers, as the
material was known to be tough, functional, comfortable and affordable. To make them even more durable, a tailor came up with the idea to add copper rivets to points of tension (on pocket corners and the base of the button fly). The tailor realized he was on to something, but didn’t have the money to file a patent. So, he turned to businessman Levi Strauss and the two patented pants strengthened with rivets!
Shortly after, they found a more flexible fabric (blue denim) to go with the rivet concept and it was these riveting blue jeans that became a true standard of everyday, fashionable attire.
denim stardom.
American magazines, Hollywood and celebrities fell hard for denim and inspired society to fall in love, too.
In the 1870s, Western women who worked along with men on ranches would wear men’s jeans because they didn’t make them for women. Then, 50 years later, Vogue advertised two women in tight jeans for the first time and called the look, “Western chic.” In the 1960s, the demand for denim was huge amongst youth, after they were glamorized by James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause. By the 1980’s, Brooke Shields helped created one of the most iconic, proactive fashion ads in history, helping to spark the high-fashion, designer denim movement that is still going strong
the many styles
While denim styles and trends have come and gone (and come back again and again), the truth is – denim is always in style. Some of the most iconic looks throughout the decades include…
The 50s
: the birth of the boot cut and all about
the dark wash
The 60s: the flared jean became the decade’s iconic symbol and bright denim colors portrayed the desire for self-expression
The 70s: bell-bottoms and silhouettes that emphasized the waist became popular
The 80s: more of an edgier vibe took over with acid washes and ripped, distressed denim
The 90s: washed-out shades of blue, denim jackets and boyfriend, baggy style jeans gained popularity
The 2000s: A decade of denim — jeans got personalized, decorated — you name it!
denim today
Today, every wash, cut and stylehas returned, from the boyfriendjean and embroidered denim to the acid wash and skinny ankle.
We are in a time where style is inspired by who you are and what makes you feel great. How exciting and relieving is that? Today is about rocking the denim that you love with confidence and finding both comfort and style to support you in your daily life.
denim tomorrow
Back in the day, you wouldn’t put denim and comfort in the same sentence. Cool? Yes. Cozy? No.
Denim with high-quality stretch has been a game changer for everyday style and we’re exploring and developing innovative solutions to bring even more ease to our favorite bottom. Most spandex-rich jeans today have 2-way stretch. Can you imagine a jean that stretches in all directions? This innovation will bring comfort
and flexibility when you bend or kneel down, and into the often constricted knee area.These jeans will have the athletic functionality of yoga pants, allowing you to move more so than ever before in denim.
We’re beyond excited about the present and future of denim and feel proud to be connected to an iconic style with such a storied past. Our team is working day in and day out, passionately creating new styles to help bring more comfort and glamour into your daily life.