Denimology

Interview With Lynn Downey, Levi's Historian

To celebrate the anniversary of 75 Years of Women's Levi's we have an interview with Lynn Downey, who is the Levi's Historian.

1) Boyfriend jeans have been phenomenally popular over the last 18 months, levi's were actually responsible for the first pair of boyfriend jeans back in the 1900s when women started wearing men's 501 as there was nothing else available. Can you tell us more about this?
In the early 1900s, women wore men's 501 jeans while working on ranches and farms, just like their men did. To these women, a sturdy pair of men's pants like the 501 meant that they could work side by side with their husbands, brothers and sons, and contribute to the success and prosperity of their families. Levi Strauss & Co. saw that this was happening and decided to create a jean just for women in 1934.

2) Which were the first pair of jeans specifically designed for women?
Lady Levi's, introduced in 1934. They were lot 701 (as opposed to the men's lot 501), and were cut with a more feminine flair. They were meant for women to wear for everything from ranch work, to dude ranch vacations. They were very versatile and started what has become the biggest category in jeanswear.

3) In the 60's, Levi's introduced the slimmer fitting women's jean which became the pre-cursor of the ever popular skinny jean. Which other women's styles from the levi's past do you think can still be seen in contemporary denim.
Many of today's styles are looks that have evolved from past trends (such as the boyfriend discussed above). For example, the boot cut jean was originally created for men in 1969, to fit over their cowboy and other boots. Women begin wearing this fit around 2000 and it remains one of our top sellers today.

4) Men's Levi's are often associated with non-conformity and rebellion would you say the same is true of women's Levi's.
It was certainly brave and fashion-forward for women to wear jeans in the 1930s, and even into the 1960s. Denim was so associated with masculinity, and even though lady Levi's were a more feminine cut, it was still a bit subversive for women to jump into a pair of jeans. Women like katharine hepburn were wearing trousers in the 1930s, scandalizing society, and denim on women got the same reaction. Women wore them at places like dude ranches and in western towns where it was a little more appropriate. Western women had worn denim for a long time, and it was when eastern women adopted lady Levi's that they took off. In the 1930s, stores like best & co. In new york, as well as kaufman's riding goods, carried the jeans, knowing that women wanted the denim look.

5) What has been the most important technological advancement in terms of women's denim over the last 100 year.
The most important technological advancement in denim was the addition of 'stretch' to jeans. In the 1960s, nylon was woven into denim fabric, which changed the wearing occasions and experience for women. This new 'stretch' made denim more functional, sexy and feminine.

Designer Q & A - Adriano Goldschmied

The week's Designer Q & A is with Denim Legend Adriano Goldschmied, President, Founder and Creative Director of Goldsign.

1) Why do you think after 200 years jeans are still one of the most popular items of clothing?
Denim has long been a symbol of freedom, and still is.

2) Last time I counted there were over 200 brands of premium denim jeans, what makes your jeans stand out from the rest?
Goldsign is constantly evolving and utilizing the most innovative techniques to offer the finest fabrics, washes and fits. Our customer knows they are they are getting the highest quality in denim when they purchase Goldsign.

3) Who do you imagine is a typical customer?
The Goldsign customer is an independent woman around 30 years of age who pays close attention to fashion but is not a victim of fashion.

Justin Timberlake talks about William Rast

Celeb designer Justin Timberlake and co-designer Trace Ayala were in New York last week for Fashion Week and the Wall Street Journal managed to speak to them about denim brand, William Rast. Check out the interview below.

WSJ: Tell me about how the brand has evolved since you launched it four years ago.

Justin Timberlake: Our goal is a small level of success, and we are happy to have it. We feel we've made the right steps to ensure we can stick around for a long time. That means actually doing the work.

WSJ: In recent years, dozens of celebrities have started apparel brands. Now many of them are disappearing, either because of the economy, or because the celebrity is no longer in the public eye, or the clothes were bad, or whatever. What do you think when you look around and see all of that happening?

JT: When we first put this together, I said that I want to treat this like everything you just mentioned doesn't exist. We have to do the work. We have to do it the right way. We are not looking to cash in.

Jason Denham - Interview

Jason Denham has come along way since starting his career back in 1992 at the work shop of Joe Casley-Hayford. After setting up his own company Denham in Spring 2009, Jason is making massive inroads into the overcrowded market place of premium denim with major retailers in Holland, Germany and the UK quick to pick up the brand.

Denham's moto, "the truth is in the detail" is very evident when you get a close up view of the collection. The jeans are a good balance of a commitment to progressive design against an equally obsessive respect for jeans craft and tradition, which is commonly forgotten about these days.

"Jason Denham's single-minded obsession with denim is the primary inspiration for the brand. His conviction that deep knowledge comes with extensive research is central to the studio's design approach. The Denham Garment Libary features an extensive collection of archetypal jean models as well as work wear, military clothing and travel gear from the last century up till today."

Jason has been kind enough to take some time out to answer a few question about his brand and where it is headed in the future.

Tony Patella - Interview

A Coninuous Lean has interviewed Tony Patella, who is partly responsible for San Francisco based premium denim label Tellason. The label creates limited edition jeans with each pair made of Cone Selvage denim from North Carolina, sewn in San Francisco and signed with a leather patch from Portland's Tanner Goods. Check out the full interview here.

Rogue Territory - Brand Profile

With so many denim labels making mass produced jeans out of China these days the demand for good quality, USA made product has dwindled in recent times... Well, so you would think.

Karl Thoennessen of Rogue Territory is bucking the trend with great success. His label, Rogue Territory is a tribute to American manufacturers of the early 20th century. When clothing was built to last and attention was placed not only on the quality of the materials, but also on the construction of the garment. The products Rogue Territory offers are modern interpretations of the garments that were produced during the industrial age of the 20th century. Their mission is to build on the designs of the past by offering a more fashionably relevant collection for those who are passionate about denim and vintage clothing.

Karl has taken some time out to answer a few questions about his label and the denim industry.

What is the story behind the name?
The name Rogue Territory truly embodies my own interpretation of denim that borrows inspiration from the all-American actors of the silver screen in the 1950s and 60s. Men like James Dean, Marlon Brando, Paul Newman, and Steve McQueen all exemplified an authentic and rebellious nature that was epitomized by the blue jeans that they wore on screen and off. The idea that rebels are rogue within society is an intriguing notion. Rebels are individuals, loners in nature. As a rebel you plot your own territory. These rebels used blue jeans to represent their unique individuality. Blue jeans were inherently rebellious, on the fringe of society and that very legacy has been woven into the rich history of the fabric and what it has come to represent. Rogue Territory believes that in denim's rawest form, it symbolizes a blank canvas for each of us to express our individuality and freedom, to tell our story, to be rebellious, and to ultimately create our own Rogue Territory.