It´s often been said that denim as a style is dead but it just wont lie down. This is clearly rubbish as sales have remained buoyant despite what the fashion analysts say and denim is still the most convenient of durable materials to help us through our day. Denim is no longer the rough and ready fabric it once was and is being transformed by manufacturers such as Levi over the last couple of seasons keen to give us the benefits of stretchable fabrics that encourage the sport luxe lifestyle option.
Resilience in materials and manufacturing techniques are helping denim hold its own not just with adaptations of trends but with the sheer weight of history and tradition that is helping to keep denim as a not so silent partner any more in the world of fashion. Think of a movie icon from the past 80 years or so and chances are you’ll find a denim clad publicity photo of same lurking on the Internet or on the wall of a burger joint. Let’s have a brief homage and see exactly how you quite literally, fit in.
Embroidering The Details
Denim is certainly creating a stir for Alessandra Michele who has taken some time out from his classic silk P.J. suits to breathe new life into denim by embroidering said garment with floral flourishes and hand painted snakes for exhibitions around Europe; this has seen the fast fashion experts such as Zara jump on the bandwagon with Top man not too far behind creating similar textured offerings that pay more than a nod to the semi-swinging seventies, that is if you’re brave enough to wear them.
Rough Mix
The rise of the much-maligned species the hipster has lead to a demand for the nostalgic feel of the faded denim due partly to the admiration of said species for all things vintage as part of their lifestyle. The sheer nature of the rough n ready denim piece is most alluring with style cues being taken from older American movies with distressed frayed jeans and patchwork denim jackets being copied for the dusty ‘Midnight Cowboy’ look. Think Kevin Bacon, ‘Tremors’, skinny jeaned, T-shirted and low profile sneakers for a slightly more contemporary look.
Up The Drainpipe
At the risk of disappointing more mature men out there, skinny leg denim is in (Had it ever been away?). Swedish brand Cheap Monday has continued unabated with their original skinny fit designs and it looks like the style will only get more popular with new stretchier materials providing a greater level of confidence especially as Levi reimaged their classic 501’s to incorporate elastane in the CT series jeans.
Crop a load of that!
A new old look that’s hitting town is a cropped fit with erm, how can I put this? a dropped crotch section. that in reality looks much more flattering, the Off-White company has launched black and blue frayed hem versions while Cheap Monday have a medium rise tapered fit denim of the cropped leg look.
Have You In Stitches
Denim is continually sneered at quite wrongly as being one of the most difficult materials to work with and not unnaturally; bespoke services have set out to prove the negativists wrong. New York 3 x 1 store has a tailoring service to ensure that just right fit is sorted out for you and London’s Levi flagship store Lot No 1 has appointment services providing Saville row served tailors that are manufacturing specific jeans to you’re specification thus ensure you the right amount of give before you take them.
OMG OG
Faded jeans will in all probability always remain popular if sometimes niche but despite the stretch fad OG put the straight indigo and black into a new ballpark direction. Black and dark denim generally look good as anchor items of any wardrobe and fit well with seasonal variants and always will do. Smart and sassy meet blazer and shoes to give any man the ability to wing it in all situations and look good too!
