Denimology

Denim Sales Increase To $15.8 Billion in 2006

CNN.com has a report on the boom in premium denim, with sales up to $15.8 billion in 2006, from $15.2 billion a year earlier and $14 billion in 2004. Furthermore the growth doesn't look like stopping anytime soon as the number of buyers for women's jeans attending a denim trade show recently jumped 72 percent. However all this money floating around doesn't mean guaranteed success for all the new denim labels being launched, according to experts there isn't enough room for everybody and producing great looking jeans is not enough - you must also have business expertise and industry savvy

Indonesian Levi's Print Ad

Here is a really interesting Levi's print ad produced in Indonesia. The text at the bottom mentions Id ul Fitri which is an Islamic holiday marking the end of Ramadan (the month of fasting) when Muslims attend special congregational prayers. To really appreciate the ad you have to view the larger version where you will see the denim threads in the bottom half of the image are actually people kneeling down to pray.

Warhol Factory X Levi's Collection

Levi's and The Andy Warhol Foundation have collaborated to produce the Warhol Factory X Levi's Collection. Apparently this range of men's and women's clothing takes its inspiration from Warhol’s "idea of life and death and the complex ideas of religion and the afterlife". More specifially the clothing uses elements of Andy Warhol’s Time Capsule artworks printed on the jeans, jackets and t-shirts all of which have a 1960s beatnik feel to them. (Source: HypeBeast)



Continued (with more photos)...

Levi's "Chicken Legs" SuperBowl Advert

Here is the Levi's "Chicken Legs" advert directed by Spike Jonze and shown during the SuperBowl.

Harrods Rocks Denim Fashion Show

Harrods of London is holding a very special fashion show in aid of the children's Jeans For Genes charity on Thursday 22nd February. The show will features denim brands such as Rock and Republic, Chip and Pepper and 7 For All Mankind being modelled by reality show veterans Sophie Anderton (see above) and Kate Lawler. Tickets are £50 and all proceeds will go to help research into inherited conditions.

Levi's & The Lawsuits

Last week I reported that Levi's was sueing a couple of US shops along with a number of Japanese denim brands for trademark infringement. This week The New York Times has an in depth article detailing Levi's recent history of lawsuits - almost 100 since 2001. Their general conclusion seems to be that since Levi's missed the boat on the whole premium denim explosion they are now getting their own back by sueing anything bearing even the slighest resemblance to their logos, labels or stitching (see above). To obtain a login to read this article click here.