AW’ 14 Denim Trends – DENIMSANDJEANS

13 Piece Recyled Collection By Espirit

Sandeep Agarwal — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 08:00:28 +0000

On 26 September 2014, the latest “Recycled Collection by Esprit” was launched in select Esprit retail stores around the globe*, as well as select European Esprit online shops the following week. The 13 piece collection marks the ongoing cooperation between Esprit and Hong Kong based NGO Redress whose mission is to promote environmental sustainability in the fashion industry. For a very special personalized note this season, Esprit October Campaign Muse and Redress CEO and founder Christina Dean will wear pieces from the new limited edition “Recycled Collection” in both print advertising and social media posts.

Developed to be kind to the environment, the “Recycled Collection by Esprit 2014” was created by recycling Esprit’s own manufacturing fabric off cuts. Normally discarded, their use by Esprit serves to reduce textile waste, save water and carbon emission, as well as to promote a more sustainable lifestyle.

The collection was designed by Berlin designer Karen Jessen, 2013 winner of the Redress EcoChic Design Award. The eight denim and five knit styles combine ease of wear with a modern design sensibility, interesting but subtle detailing and feminine lines promising to make them wardrobe favorites. The denim pieces include a jumpsuit, dress, jacket and coat, fitted shirt, skinny pants and chino trousers, all made of 43% recycled cotton.

Jersey tops have a cool ease, featuring non-basic touches like boat necks, kimono or batwing sleeves. They are made of 35% recycled cotton from Esprit’s own T-shirt manufacturing off cuts and blended with 65% recycled polyester.

Striving for sustainability, none of the t-shirt fabrics have been re-dyed, so rather than being offered in solid colors, they are blends that reflect the original “off cuts.”

All garments will have the special “Recycled Collection” hangtag with a QR code that can be scanned and then link to the “R Cert” website. Another Redress initiative, “R Cert” allows consumers to track the manufacturing of their garment, and customers can also view details about Esprit’s supply chain and verify which factory produced the garment.
The “Recycled Collection by Esprit 2014” combines great looking fashion for every day, important sustainability practices and a story that inspires on multiple levels.
Retail prices range Denim: â‚¬59.99 – â‚¬149 – Retail prices range Jersey: â‚¬29.99 – â‚¬59.99

Gas Denim Fall Winter 2014 Collection

Sandeep Agarwal — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 03:00:11 +0000

Denim is once again the protagonist of the new Gas Jeans Collection, onto which all the research and the brand’s innovative drive are expressed.The theme that characterizes the denim garments designed by the brand for this season, is undoubtedly the biker-rock style of the iconic movie stars such as James Dean and Steve McQueen. The distinctive pieces have been revisited in a brand new and contemporary key and have been elaborated with treatments and innovative processes.The Oklahoma jacket and the Morrison 5 pockets for him, the Merida biker jacket, the mini skirt and the new Jade boyfriend jeans for her, all have been reinterpreted following this inspiration, thus giving the denim a dark, vintage-looking tonality and an outstanding leather-effect waxing. Even the cloud-effect washes aren’t missing, along with aggressive, sanding and stonewash ones, as well as raw, destroyed and used treatments, which give a strong and rebellious look, especially when applied onto grey and black denim items. Micropatterns and prints are used not only on the classic denim shirts but also the jeans series. Prints have been growing strong from season to season with mutations in their patterns, visibilities and intensities with more subtle looks trending in. The skinny trend gains more and more importance, just as the carrot cut and the jegging model enrich the menswear line. This DENIM ATELIER project was developed in the Gas Artisanal Room, the research and development laboratory of the brand, , and it includes Made in Italy, well-finished denim garments, whose details underline their origin and the attention in the creation of the items.

Conscious Blue (rather Green ) Denim From H&M

Sandeep Agarwal — Thu, 18 Sep 2014 15:53:28 +0000

H&M , after dabbling with many other green initiatives , is further going green . On October 2, H&M introduces Conscious Denim, a collection with clean styling and contemporary fits, that not only uses more sustainable materials, but also more conscious processes. In a first for H&M, the washes used on its denim have been graded to assess their environmental impact, including energy and water use. The collection includes pieces for women, men and children, and will be available worldwide in around 1,000 stores for women and 700 stores for men, as well as online.

“We’re so excited about Conscious Denim at H&M. We’ve worked hard to reduce the environmental impact from the washing processes alongside using materials that are more sustainable. The collection is full of great pieces, and proves how sustainability can equal great style,” says Helena Halverson, Head of Sustainability H&M.

The result is a full collection with modern cuts in deep indigo tones. For women, Conscious Denim has the essential styles of the season, from low-waited or high-waited skinny jeans to boyfriend cut and tapered ankle. Alongside these denim essentials, there are also pieces made from conscious materials that wear just like denim, to create the full look. Jogger jeans in knitted indigo have the softness of sweatpants, while an indigo boiler suit in Tinsel has a sharp, slim fit.

For men, classic 5 pocket styles in raw denim are joined by jeans in different cuts and washes. As well as a deep indigo denim jacket, there’s a twill workers jacket while an indigo wool coat is the perfect outer layer for the season. Meanwhile for kids there are different styles, including jeans and dungarees, all in conscious materials.

Each garment in the Conscious Denim range will feature the Clever Care label, with details on sustainable wear and care, while in store hang tags will describe the conscious qualities of each piece. It’s all part of H&M’s long term commitment to more sustainable fashion. Conscious Denim will be available October 2 in 1,000 stores for women and 700 stores for men worldwide, as well as online at www.hm.com.

Levis Vintage Fall Winter 2014 Lookbook

Sandeep Agarwal — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 14:08:22 +0000

For Fall/Winter 2014, Levi’s Vintage Clothing seeks to capture the spirit and heritage of American workwear by reproducing the fits, fabrics and details of the 70s aesthetics and before . Following their tradition, Levi’s Vintage Clothing remains focused on their clothing lines “Orange Tab” and “Made in the USA. This season, Levi’s Vintage Clothing decided to that their most historically treasured 501 jeans be reproduced. The desert background, looming storm clouds and the dry aesthetics come as a perfect backdrop for their Vintage looks. Outstanding features from this collection include washed trucker jackets, grey washed to ash jeans, dull blues, denim shirts with pearl buttons and more.

Cheap Monday Fall Winter 2014 Collection

Sandeep Agarwal — Wed, 27 Aug 2014 09:23:28 +0000

The opposing youth are eager for change, and the conflict between the playful and serious has been an inspiration for the prints as well as the denim collection. Raw, heavy denim and inverted denim are prominent throughout the collection. Texture is important with crinkled jersey, fleece, leatherette, pleated chiffon and jersey as well as clear sequins on knits, flannel, denim and jersey. There is a clean seriousness to the look with more sombre colours. A faux knot detail is used to shape the garments on denim dresses, blouses, jersey and sweat. A knotted reflective backpack and puffer bags to match the collection. The rough, smudgy and random versus the clean and crisp play an important role for the denim as well, where greys and blue blacks, rips and bleach clash with constructed crisp twills and square shapes on white coatings. A new mid-rise skinny fit is introduced in “Prime”, as well as a new denim jacket “ikon”.

AG Jeans Fall Winter 2014 Collection

Sandeep Agarwal — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 01:33:19 +0000

AG Jeans brings out the Fall ‘14 collection with few new innovative fabric concepts.The Contour 360 provides the latest in four way stretch technology to provide great flexibility and comfort. The Digital Luxe Denim for women brings out the effects of used jeans with the usage of special printing looks on soft sateen fabrics. A mix of colors with indigo , super darks and laser treatments are other highlights of the collection.Daria Werbowy – the Canadian model – has been used for the Fall Women’s campaign. Men’s collection showcases a number of denim jacket styles – biker, dart , rogue and more. Selvedge denims have been custom scraped to bring out their classic nature and denim shirts have been given some cool vintage looks . Double denim styling is definitely IN. We can see a continuous increase in denim on denim pairing across all major brands. While previously the pairing was restricted to two indigo colors at two ends of the spectrum, increasingly vintage looks are sought to be projected while pairing both denim top and bottom (jeans , leggings etc) in dark / super dark colors using elements of washing ike 3D, distresses and cuts .

Scotch & Soda Fall Winter 2014 Men’s Lookbook

Sandeep Agarwal — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 17:11:51 +0000

ALCHEMY BLUES

Denim on denim is becoming more of a rule than an exception and denim manufacturers are laughing all the way to the bank ! Brand after brand seem to prefer their own take to this pairing – which was considered anathema not very long ago. Whether it is pairing of Dark indigo shirts paired with bright blue drop crotch jeans or a bright blue denim shirt with light washed jeans or even dark jackets easily gelling with dark indigo jeans, the look is in. Japanese inspired details, vintage denims, experimental denim washes and fits are other highlights of the Scotch and Soda Lookbook.

Lot 22 Stump -Half Life Repair

Skim – Ignition stretch

Catch 22 – Clockwork

Lot 22 Skim – Formula 22 stretch

Lot 22 Skim -The Alchemist

Skim – The Nero

Phaidon- Green Track

Phaidon – Absolute Blue

Skim – Blue Ray

Skim – Alpha Beat

Skim – Burning Bush

Ralston – Revolution

Nudie Jeans Fall Winter 2014 Collection

Sandeep Agarwal — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 14:17:32 +0000

We have always loved Nudie Jeans – not only because of their wonderful denims but also their commitment to environment with their 100% organic collections. Besides, what is admirable about them is their openness in about the intricacies of their jeans – a quality not visible in information shared by many brands. We love to know how they created those special effects on their jeans, where they got their fabrics from and where the jeans were made . It gives a complete bio on the jeans and actually helps to generate interest and sales.

We are detailing here some of the pieces from their AW’14/15 denim collection. The washes are great , with a nice play on the colors with color wefts, coats, overdyes , bleaches and more.

TIGHT LONG JOHN KIM REPLICA

Some repairs and some dirt effects for that authentic worn in look and feel. Orange threads all over and organic copper trims. Made with Turkish 11 oz power stretch. 98% organic cotton and 2% elastane. Made in Tunisia.

TUBE TOM MICK REPLICA

This replica has been treated with a unique shrinkage method, which gives the fabric a tighter, more compact feel. It has a salt and peppery look and subtle ring effects. All repairs made with denim repair patches. Navy threads all over, bleeding indigo back pocket embo. Made with 10.75 oz. Turkish power stretch, 98% organic and cotton 2% elastane. Made in Turkey.

STRAIGHT ALF DRY HEAVY

A dry, real heavy quality with coarse crosshatch effects, long evident slubs and bold twill lines. Break them in everyday for at least 6 months for a personal look. Orange threads all over, navy back pocket embo and organic copper trims. Made with Turkish 15.75 denim. 100% organic cotton. Made in Italy.

TAPE TED 24 MONTHS

12 oz Italian comfort stretch denim. A deep indigo red cast denim that has been coated black. This is what a pair of dry coated could look like after two years of wear and tear. The coating is only visible as small depot around waistband, crotch and at the seams. It’s been repaired at the front of the thigh. Navy threads all over, except for the buttonhole, that is orange. Gunmetal trims. 98% organic cotton 2% elastane. Made in Italy.

HIGH KAI KALLE REPLICA

Red cast denim with evident twill lines, long slubs and clear, visible ring effects. An original worn in look with nice, handmade repairs and 3D effects. Orange threads all over and organic copper trims.Made with Italian 12 oz. power stretch. 98% organic cotton 2% elastane. Made in Italy.

HIGH KAI BLACK USED

A black over-dye on indigo denim, washed down for a natural worn down look with a deep blue-black character. Black warp, black weft. Black threads all over and organic gunmetal trims.Made with Turkish 11 oz. power stretch. 98% organic cotton 2% elastane. Made in Tunisia.

GRIM TIM DRY RING

It’s a deep indigo dye on a tightly woven, compact, dry denim quality. With a fantastic dry hand feel and short ring slubs. Orange threads all over and organic copper trims. Made with heavy Turkish 13,4 oz. denim. 100% organic cotton. Made in Italy.

GRIM TIM VILLE REPLICA

This replica is made with one our new favorite denim qualities. A pure wash with sharp contrasts and really nice indigo depots. The waistband and pockets have been treated to some really rough wear and tear. The repairs are done with denim repair patches. Orange threads all over and organic copper trims. Made with heavy Turkish 13,4 oz. denim. 100% organic cotton. Made in Italy.

THIN FINN DUSK INDIGO

This fabric has a tight construction with a papery hand. Long slubs with ring and rain effects. It’s been treated to a grey surface to reduce the red cast and give the fabric a cold tone. Orange threads all over and organic copper trims. Made with Turkish 12 oz. comfort stretch. 98% cotton and 2% elastane. Made in Tunisia.

GRIM TIM COLD CRISP

Full of contrast, with a really nice blue tone and beautiful indigo depots. Long evident ring effects. It’s been coated to bring out some really nice 3D effects. Orange threads all over and organic copper trims. Made with Italian 11.5 oz. red cast denim. 98% organic cotton and 2% elastane. Made in Italy.

THIN FINN 11 MONTHS

A 12.7 oz Turkish comfort stretch. Made with indigo threads over dyed to black threads in both warp and weft. A soft and flat fabric. This is what the drys could look like after almost a year of wearing and tearing. The color is slightly faded and deep black is almost completely gone Evident ring effects. 99% organic cotton 1% elastane. Made in Italy.

THIN FINN 20 MONTHS

A 12.7 oz Turkish comfort stretch. Made with indigo threads over dyed to black threads in both warp and weft. A soft and flat fabric. This is what the drys could look like after twenty months of wearing and tearing and a couple of washes. The jeans have gone from pitch black to blueish grey. Knee and pocket repairs carry the history of months gone by. 99% organic cotton 1% elastane. Made in Italy.

SKINNY LIN BACK TO GREY

Indigo denim over-dyed with black, bleached down to grey. The indigo is still slightly visible at the pockets and on the inside. Fading Black threads all over and organic gunmetal trims. Made with Turkish 11 oz. power stretch. 98% organic cotton and 2% elastane. Made in Tunisia.

STRAIGHT ALF CRINKLE FUSE

This heavy denim has a beautiful dry hand and a ropey feel. Great contrast between the deep indigo and the fades. Orange threads all over, indigo back pocket embo and organic copper trims. Made with 13.4 oz. Turkish denim. 100% organic cotton. Made in Italy.

TAPE TED BLUE BLACK

Black-Black, washed down towards grey. It has a great patina and some really nice cloudy moustaches. This one features an all black Nudie Jeans leather patch. Fading black threads all over and organic gunmetal trims. Made with Turkish 12.7 oz. stretch denim. 99% organic cotton and 1% elastane. Made in Tunisia.

TAPE TED 10 MONTHS

12 oz Italian comfort stretch denim. A deep indigo red cast denim that has been coated black. This is what a pair of dry coated could look like after 10 months of wear and tear. The deep indigo is starting to come out, giving this wash beautiful contrasts. The coating is still evident in the twill lines, between seams and as depots at the back of the knees and at the crotch. Navy threads all over, except for the buttonhole, that is orange. Gunmetal trims. 98% organic cotton 2% elastane. Made in Italy.

TIGHT LONG JOHN PURE BLUE

Another classic Nudie Jeans wash. This mid shade indigo quality has a natural worn in look with 3D effects. Orange threads all over and organic copper trims. Made with Turkish 11 oz. power stretch 98% organic cotton and 2% elastane. Made in Tunisia.

Scotch & Soda Amsterdams Blauw 2014-2015 Fall Winter Lookbook

Sandeep Agarwal — Wed, 30 Jul 2014 14:00:19 +0000

Inspired by two days in the life of a creative and urban Maison woman, Scotch and Soda fall winter denim collection is rich in vintage inspired classic pieces with a smart edge. Take inspiration from the boys with their ‘l’adorable’ boyfriend fit jeans, or keep it classic with a trucker jacket, chunky knits and Breton stripes. There are plenty of destroyed, dyed and treated denim, as well as lovely winter prints. Quilted bomber jackets are paired with bright blues , double denim can be seen as a continuing trend and acid wash looks on blacks, greys and dark indigos are some other cool looks!

L’Adorable – Half Life Repaired

La Parisienne Zip – Garment Dye

Indigo shirt and distressed shorts

Quilted indigo bomber jacket and Petit Ami – Blue Edition

Quilted jacket and L’Adorable – Jean Jenie

Denim western shirt and La Parisienne – Hell’s Kitchen

Shirt with animal print and Denim trucker jacket

Clean boyfriend shirt

Bleached wash denim

La Parisienne Zip – Concrete Dark

La Parisienne – J’adore Noir

Bethnals – The Unisex Jeans From London

Sandeep Agarwal — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 10:50:24 +0000

Bethnals is a new denim brand from London and offering unique unisex jeans for AW’14 . With long years of industry experience under their belt, this brands aims to be different and is not influenced by trends, but rather the culture of the city around them .

We spoke to the Founder Designer of the brand – Melissa Clements – to understand why she brought up this brand with a different niche and she shared her frank views with us .

Hi Melissa ! When did you start this brand and why did you think about starting it ?

Hi! . Bethnals is a brand I have believed in for the last few years, and which I am excitedly on the verge of launching with thanks to you. I have been working in the Fashion world for the last 15 years, Buying and Developing denim for a few of the big boys out there. Now here I am the David amongst the Goliaths!.
The brand has launched on a kickstarter campaign this June. But I have been working on it for over a year to get perfect before launching.

We don’t see many of unisex jeans in the market. Why do you think such jeans have higher appeal for your target consumers rather than separate styles for men and women?

From my experience on the buying floor I came across men buying skinny jeans, or borrowing their girlfriends skinny jeans and personally I feel like the ‘Boyfriend’ jean trend always looks more authentic when you actually are wearing mens jeans! The androgynous look has long been coveted in the fashion world and its a style that fits the Bethnals aesthetic perfectly. We’re making jeans that are the right fit for our customers, regardless of their sex. With Bethnals there is no such thing as girls and boys jeans."

How do you select the fabrics for your jeans as normally women go with lighter , softer fabrics with higher stretch and men’s jeans are normally crafted with heavier fabrics having comfort stretch. How do you settle this contradiction ?

Men in London are big fans of the skinny jean, this cannot be made with heavy comfort stretch, there needs to be a performance stretch construction to achieve this silhouette- that is why they have been stealing their girlfriend’s jeans!!.

I have thrown away these pre-conceived ideas of what characteristically have been defined to be men’s and women’s denim. The choice of fabrics on the market now is extraordinary, I am exclusively working with Isko on my jean qualities which can achieve the look of a more masculine, heavier twill/slub/denim character but with the performance of a typical womens stretch.

Denim trends start with the fabric choice, and we are no longer limited to a 98 cotton 2 elastane cut in every fit and every washâ€¦ Its an exciting time for Jeans!

The underlying direction of your brand is "back to the basics" . Does it mean minimal styling and washing ? If so , is Bethnals aiming to be recognized as a "Raw Denim Brand"?

No, our jeans are washed, to ensure they are soft and tactile, Bethnals believe in fading with wear, so your life is imprinted on your jeans rather than in the laundry. The key to Bethnals is simple long lasting denim design- which will live beyond the ever changing landscape of the fashion world.

London has been one of the most important fashion destinations worldwide. When you say that there is a "London inspired stamp" on your jeans and other items, what characteristics do you refer to ?

Exactly what you say- London is one of the most important fashion destinations- the trends start here- especially for denim as its driven from the street rather than the catwalk. There is so much diversity and inspiration just heading out to work. Londoners are definitely not the most polished of people but we are creative, and its that pulled together, easy style that is Bethnals! We talk of The London Uniform, and to us that is 1- pair of jeans and 2- a t shirt! It is not so complicated!

Priced at just £75, guys and girls can take their pick from three classic styles – SKINNY, STRAIGHT and RELAXED. Each style is also available in exclusive white and black tape selvedge denim for £125.