Denimandjeans | Global Trends, News and Reports | Worldwide

Category: Denim Brands – Int’l

  • Fidelity Jeans – Q&A

    Today I am featuring an inteview with Jason Trotzuk – the designer of a premium brand from Canada – FIDELITY JEANS..This is an upcoming
    denim brand and making inroads in the US market..

    Me: How does Fidelity create a niche for itself when already there are a large number of Premium Denim brands around?

    Jason:Fidelity creates it niche by making fabulous jeans that are unlike any other brand… Once a customer tries on a pair of Fidelity’s (men’s or women’s) they’re hooked….there is freedom of choice in the market place and customers always choose quality over hype. No matter what your body type Fidelity has a pair (or two or three) that will fit you perfectly.

    Me: What kind of denim fabrics Fidelity uses most(eg Selvedge denim,Flat finishes,Ringxring etc and also their preferred source eg Japanese denim,US denim,Italian etc).

    Jason:Fidelity Women’s is all Japanese and Italian stretch…We are having great success with boutique Japanese denim mills and have some amazing sources that we have stuck with because the formula works…Fidelity men’s is predominantly Italian denim but lately I have been using good old U.S. made denim by Cone….American classics…true backbone denim!!!

    Me: If you were to distribute marks (out of 10) between Fabric,Fit and Finish, what would be your distribution?

    Jason:Fabric 3, Fit 5, Finish 2…The fit is 50% (or more of the game…actually it is 100% of the game) but if I had to split it would be the forementioned. Fit is the most important by far but without quality fabric and amazing finishes, you don’t qualify as premium. The consumer is smart enough and the competition is thick out there. There are no cutting corners in this game. You have to be a complete package to stay successful in the market.

    Me: Which is the next big style in denim ?

    Jason:Fashion denim and anything straight. That is where I am hedging my bets in ‘08.

    Me: We keep on hearing that black denim is coming back. Is it so?

    Jason:Personally I don’t see it….black denim had a great run the last few falls but the look is limited. The trend is becoming more fashion and luxury so I believe black/black is still important but as more of a general color…not necessarily for denim.

    Me: As per you which are the best styles from Fidelity – for men and for women?

    Jason:
    Women’s
    HYACINTH: 5 Pocket Trouser jeans…wide leg mid rise…fits all body types…always dressy!!!
    BELLADONNA: Mid Rise Boot Cut…Most versatile cut for a woman….The Belladonna medium rise is the perfect rise @ 8.5”, the thigh is slimming and the boot cut open allows for both dressy or casual occasions.
    THE LUX: flare, Do some damage with this cut…clean tailor details on a 5-pocket jean with a long lean flare.

    Again, there are many bodies too numerous to mention, but our specialty is our fit… many customers swear by our “uplifting” qualities and has been coined as the “butt bra jean”.

    MEN’S
    5011: My favorite style is the 5011 straight, the cut is lean and mean yet masculine.
    CHARGER: Boot cut…the best boot cut on the market!

    Me: Which celebrities are fans of Fidelity Jeans?

    Jason:Heidi Montag, Blake Lively, Lindsay Lohan, Kristen Cavallari, Eva Longoria, Demi Moore, Eva Pigford, Vanessa Minillo, , Virginia Madsen, Debra Messing, Sophia Myles

    Me: Which countries is Fidelity Jeans currently available in?
    NORTH AMERICA: Canada, USA,
    EUROPE: Germany, Italy, Luxemburg, France, U.K.
    MIDDLE EAST: Dubai, Israel
    ASIA: Japan, Indonesia

    We hope to be moving even further into the international market in 2008!

    Some photographs from FIDELITY

    blue-belle.jpg
    honeysuckle-crop-light.jpg

  • Organic Denim trend picking up?

    Organic is in..
    Organic clothes is getting more and more popular as environmental conciousness is increasing and the ‘return to nature’ sentiment gets stronger.I think its a very healthy direction for the fashion to take..
    Organic denim is not to be left behind – in fact with denim consuming almost 17% of world cotton, it is imperative that a part of denim production moves on the Organic route.I had mentioned in my previous post regarding organic denims..
    Just giving herebelow links to some of the good organic denim jeans produced worldwide:

    Nudie Jeans: Besides organic cottons, they are using potato starch,natural indigo etc to make their Organic Denims. It was good to get some figures from them about damage by normal cotton “Denim is made of cotton, which causes great damage to our environment both in terms of water consumption (7000 to 29.000 litres of water for each kilogram of ready garment) and in terms of poisonous substances and insecticides. Cotton fields stand for 25% of all insecticides worldwide!”

    Loomstate::Loomstate is a brand that is proud of its Organic roots . They use only organic cotton and show here how they do their organic cotton:.
    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTw5bfT-hXg&rel=1]

    Levi’s Eco: Levi’s also started its Eco line in the Fall 2006 and seems to be getting a good response to its Organic denims. They are primarily using Organic Cotton for these denims and this is what they have to say about the organic cotton used in these jeans”Organic farming practices can be used to grow natural fibers including cotton as well as food. Organic cotton farming starts with seeds that have not been genetically modified or treated with pesticides or fungicides. During the growth phase, weed control is achieved through hand hoeing or physical removal and pest control is accomplished through the use of natural predators, trap crops and other biological and cultural practices. Farmers rely on natural processes such as seasonal freezes, rather than the application of chemical defoliants, to prompt the opening of the cotton boll and allow the cotton bud to be picked by hand or machine”

    7forallmankind : Sevens has just launched its Yosemite collection of Organic denims.7 For all Mankind’s first organic denim, the Yosemite is a non-stretch fabrication with subtle indigo fading weaved throughout the front and rear..Looks cool..

    Sharkah Chakra : Though a relatively less known brand and available in London (Harvey Nicolas) and Paris,they take the concept of ‘organic’ a step further. They make a complete Organic Jeans ie everything from Cotton to dyes to weaving(on handlooms) . The process of producing one jeans is quite long – but the results are good..Worth checking out..

    Sling & Stones : This Japanese brand uses Peruvian handpicked organic cotton – converted to Japanese Supima Denim,Dyed with natural Indigo and washed in environment friendly ozone washes.And thrown in the package are 24carat gold rivets and embroidery..Whew!

  • What do owners of famous Japanese brands wear?

    Would’nt it be interesting to know what kind of Jeans the owners of famous Japanese denim brands like Sugarcane,Flat head, Iron Heart etc wear ?

    Well just came across this video on youtube which shows the jeans worn by the owners of these brands and the length for which they wore it..Though the video does not give very good closeup of the jeans, one can just have a feel of the jeans.
    Another interesting thing to note is the average period in which they washed their jeans.. It differs -From 15 days for Iron Heart owner to more than 2 months for Flat Head owner..Goes on to show that there are no set rules when it comes to washing ones jeans..
    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WB6BTuuIQw&rel=1]

  • 30 years ‘AG-ed’ Jeans?

    AG – Andriano Goldschmied has launched a new jean label called ‘AG-ed’ Denim’..
    They claim to produce a TRUE VINTAGE 3- dimensional washed look on these jeans.Currently ‘AG-ed’ is offered in 3 years,6 years,16 years and 25 years ‘AG-ed’. Slowly they will be offering in 1 to 30 years ‘AG-ed’.
    The prices range from USD 205 and above.
    Here is a snap of Jessica Alba and Vanessa Minnilio wearing one of the ‘AG-ed’ jeans..
    jessicaalbaag-ed.jpg

    Though I like the washed look on the Jeans – they are nicely washed – but there does not seem to something very extraordinary about the same..But let me lay my hands on one of them and come back with more comments.
    .vanessaminillo2.jpg

    Source:Denimblog

  • Denim photos from TIME Magazine

    jeans_09.jpgTime Magazine has brought out a photo essay on Denim- “From the sweatshops of Asia to the runways of New York, denim is bigger than ever”. Check it out for some great photographs on denim production around the world.

  • 21oz denim from Samurai- is it the heaviest denim?

    Samurai is a famous Japanese brand and known for its innovative jeans.
    One of their great jeans which came out last year was the 21oz denim…
    21 oz???????
    Yes, whole of 21 oz !
    bubble.jpg
    The S510XX21 model of Samurai ,with 21oz denim fabric made on Japanese wooden looms, has bettered their own previous record of 19oz denim.
    This is a truly amazing denim and inspite of being so heavy, it is soft in feel because of very coarse yarns used and unique weaving methods applied. Samurai, rightly calls it the ‘Cloth of Super Excellence’. As most of their collection, this is also Selvedge denim with Red and Gold strands .
    21oz_vedged.jpg
    It took a lot of patience on the part of the highly skilled craftsmen to produce this fabric on the powerlooms.
    The Japanese denim brands continue to amaze with their products . And I think the most important ingredient in their denim is the PASSION with which they work on their denims.Its NOT A COMMODITY for them..
    And the PRICE – A COOL USD 330/–. Click here to buy.
    torn_vedge.jpg

    Update- as dj correctly mentions, Iron Heart Jeans uses 22oz denim in some of its styles

  • Evisu DD +1 Jeans project

    Evisu has launched a new Denim Project called Dirty Dozen + 1 (DD+1) in association with Superfuture and the Blue in Green store in NY . 13 people are wearing a pair each of special customized jeans from Evisu – hand painted by a famous Japanese artist. The jeans shall be worn for a period of 13 months and evaluated….

    dd1-jeans-of-evisu.jpg

    I like the way Evisu spends time and energy in getting out products which will have ‘TIME APPEAL’ – ie they will be become better with time and age like OLD WINE… I would have liked to know the kind of fabric they are using in this project .. Will post when available….

    Want to see how the jeans has been hand painted ? See here

  • Grungy Denim . A new trend for 2008?

    There have been some forecasts that a new trend for Spring/Summer 2008 may be the GRUNGY DENIM..….
    These Jeans basically have a patchy high contrast bleached look – the 80s punk look.
    Though this washing style has not been noticed in many brands, there are some points that merit attention:
    a)The current trends in denim looks the world over follow from the Premium Denim brands. These brands are basically encashing their expertise in providing a high quality fabric, washed and sanded nicely(many times hand sanded) and with some standout embellishments like Pocket designing etc. Of course the importance of FIT can never be forgotten as one of their primary strengths.
    b)These trends are being followed in some measure by other manufacturers around the world – who are also trying to provide the similar jeans at a lower cost.
    c)In the last 1-2 years there has been no distinctive denim look which has come in and the current washes and looks are getting somewhat jaded and there is a need for something fresh.

    Thus there IS A NEED for some FRESH LOOK IN DENIMS. However, whether that will be GRUNGY LOOK or something else remains to be seen..I feel that a look similar to GRUNGY may come in provided it is MORE ELEGANT looking and does not give the PUNKISH or a CHEAP look. Designed Patchiness or GRUNGINESS (nice terminology i think !) may be considered an option for the next year.
    Some Grungy Jeans from Cheap Monday ….
    cheap-monday-grungy-denim.jpggrungy-denim.jpggrungy-denim1.jpg

  • Daniel Hirst designed Levi’s

    As I mentioned before, the world’s most expensive artist (so he is called) – Daniel Hirst – is designing a new collection for Levi’s Warhol Factory X.
    Here is a visual of the same..
    Seems to have lot of Crystal Work on it inspired by the ‘Jewelled Skull’ ?

    daniel-hirst-levis.jpg

  • Premium Denim Brand providing the best fit ?

    We all know about the importance of fit in the buying decision of a premium denim. It is estimated in various polls that fit contributed almost 85% to a buying decision related to Premium Denim.

    I think then its in place to know which brand – out of so many out there – provides the maximum satisfaction related to fits. Though I know that this is a subjective question – since a brand providing a good fit for one may not be good for other – it would be good to know which brand takes the most votes. I have considered important brands like 7 for all Mankind, True Religion, Earl Jeans, Rock & Republic,Paige, Nudie, Miss Sixty, J Brand,Evisu, Diesel etc etc.. Sorry for boring.. NOw you can go ahead and poll – Click here to reach the poll and select the Brand with best fit

    Click on View Results to see the result of this poll.. We have received over 200 votes till 21st Sept 2008

  • US imports of women/girls’ jeans 2000-2006

    In continuation of the figures that I provided on the imports of Mens/Boys Denim trousers in US, I think the next step was to clarify the status of imports of Women/Girls Denim Trousers(commonly known as Jeans!) into US.
    The figures are again quite interesting. The total imports in this category is LESS THAN THE IMPORTS OF MENS/BOYS Jeans.. Amazing isn’t it..There is a general impression that the women and girls buy more jeans. However, when we delve deep into the figures , we find that MEN are not to be left behind. Though the average price of a Women’s Jeans is more than that of Men, the men score in quantities.

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    Year Girls(qty in mill.) Women (qty in mill.) Average price (Girls) Average price(women) Total (mn. pcs) Value(USD Bn)
    2000 41.04 144.84 5.87 7.96 185.88 1.39
    2001 45.00 167.64 5.75 8.13 212.64 1.62
    2002 52.80 186.36 5.66 8.29 239.16 1.84
    2003 48.60 179.52 5.57 8.47 228.12 1.79
    2004 40.20 201.96 5.94 8.84 242.16 2.02
    2005 50.04 234.84 5.09 8.90 284.88 2.34
    2006 49.32 202.80 4.94 8.54 252.12 1.97
                 
                 

    Source : US Customs

    All price figures are in USD
    Some other important things to note are :

    a)The average price of a Girl Denim Trouser went down almost 16% in 2005 when quota was removed. However, the price of Women Jeans hardly dropped and showed great resilience.
    This was probably due to continued craze for Premium Jeans in 2005 – which had a fallout effect on normal jeans also.
    b)The imports of Women Jeans in 2006 has shown a drop of more than 10% ‘over 2005 figures. This is a clear indication of the slowdown in the imports of ‘Expensive denims in 2006. I had previously mentioned that the rate of growth of Premium denims has halved in the first few months of 2007 and it was reflected in the last few months of 2006 also.

    I feel that 2007 will also not be giving very good figures on imports of Women Denim trousers. Lets wait and see..

  • Selvedge Denim and Loop Dyeing..

    What is Selvedge/Selvage Denim ?
    selvage-denim.jpg
    Selvage Denim is the denim made on Old Style Shuttle Looms rather than the modern shuttleless looms. Simply stated it is ‘Self – Edge’ denim which is created since the Weft goes back and forth as a single thread rather than individual threads for each weft weave..As the weft loops back from the end, it creates a ‘Selvage’. Traditionally the denim made on the Shuttle Looms was so narrow that about 3 yards were required to make a jeans. To maximize fabric consumption, the jeans makers used the Selvage also which can be seen when the Jeans is turned up.The color of the thread in the Selvage was used to differentiate between fabrics. True Vintage Jeans can be recognised by the Selvage thread.

    Traditionally , American Denim was considered superior. However, the Americans replaced all their Shuttle Looms by faster looms. Many of these looms were bought by Japanese who felt that there was a market for Traditional Denim. And when the Premium Denim craze began after 2000, many Jeans manufacturers introduced the Jeans made from Shuttle looms and Quality Dyeing .. . Quality Dyeing?
    Quality Dyeing is Indigo Dyeing done using Loop Dyeing machines – which are themselves rare and vintage machines. The Rope of Cotton Yarn goes through a Vat of Indigo and then is taken to the ROOF of the factory where it is allowed to oxidize and then brought back to dip. Some companies do as many as 30 DIPS creating a rich blue Indigo character.
    Another traditional thing that goes in the process of creating a Traditional Premium Denim is the Chain Stitch at the leg opening – which gives a thick stitch line at the hem.

    Denim produced on Shuttle Looms is naturally irregular . Accompanied with the additional details in dyeing and stitching, it produces a unique product and as the Jeans age, they produce a unique pattern. Like Fine Wood, Selvage denim will become more beautiful with age and acquire a patina which is impossible to create artificially.
    Many of the Japanese Denim brands are using Selvage Denim. The most famous of them is EVISU. Their HERITAGE Collection is made entirely of Selvage Denim only , produced on 30″ looms and dyed by LOOP Dyeing method. With a minimum of 16 dips, they go upto 30 dips . For Chain stitching, they use the ‘Union Special Machines’ which are considered to be the ‘ROLLS ROYCE’ of stitching machines in 1950s..

    Heritage Jeans - EVISU