Monday, 31 October 2011
Saturday, 29 October 2011
Androgyny...
I have long been a champion of this trend, if you work in the world of denim its almost your daily uniform- button up shirt, rolled up jeans and brogues... However my poor boyfriend is getting a little miffed as to why I feel it necessary to wear his shirt/jeans.. (cant get away with the shoes!)
I can now put it down to the fact it is 'on trend"!! To dress like a boy is cool people.. Designers and high street brands alike have pushed this in a big way for AW11, referencing Teddy boys, Psychobilly & New Mod subcultures. Sorry boys, not only will your wardrobes be a little light of clothes over the next few months but you can say good bye to the short skirt/heels combo I know you love so much.......
I can now put it down to the fact it is 'on trend"!! To dress like a boy is cool people.. Designers and high street brands alike have pushed this in a big way for AW11, referencing Teddy boys, Psychobilly & New Mod subcultures. Sorry boys, not only will your wardrobes be a little light of clothes over the next few months but you can say good bye to the short skirt/heels combo I know you love so much.......
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
SELVEDGE... a geeks obsession
This one is hard to explain.... but I will try.
Finding Selvedge as you roll up the hem of a vintage pair of jeans is like realizing the tooth fairy has come when you were a kid... Pure joy! This may be a geeks obsession, but its a quest I will never tire of.
Of course brands offer selvedge in their range new and I would defy anyone not to be seduced by the authentic nerdiness of such a purchase. But for me, its all about getting dirty at a flea market and hitting the denim jackpot!.. LUSH..
Finding Selvedge as you roll up the hem of a vintage pair of jeans is like realizing the tooth fairy has come when you were a kid... Pure joy! This may be a geeks obsession, but its a quest I will never tire of.
Of course brands offer selvedge in their range new and I would defy anyone not to be seduced by the authentic nerdiness of such a purchase. But for me, its all about getting dirty at a flea market and hitting the denim jackpot!.. LUSH..
Sunday, 23 October 2011
RESPONSIBLE PRODUCTION.
We can all breathe a brief sigh of relief now the global cotton prices are stabilizing, i can tell you, the last 18 months have not been pretty people!!
However there is no rest for the wicked and the new buzz word in the Denim industry is Sustainability!..
Denim production is seen as one of the worst contributors in greenhouse gas emissions and water waste. In the UK alone an average person owns 7 pairs of jeans, (I am way passed the average.. eekk..!) we all need to be accountable, from my seat as a buyer to you guys as consumers! We already have Organic, Recycled, Better cotton initiative available from the denim mills which are proving popular with some leading denim brands- Nudie, Seven- for all mankind, Monkee jeans all working with 100% organic cotton for every pair of jeans they produce... I have no doubt more will follow in the next few seasons.
However this does not help our water issue, it takes thousands of Litres to authentically launder 1 pair of jeans!! Its really shocking figures and although all ethical laundry units will recycle their water within production there is still so much that can be done!.. Step up Levi Strauss & co, launching a new initiative this year with their water-less range:
Japan Rags have gone one further with NO water in their production!! Amazing....
This is only the start, its going to be a very interesting year in denim! Responsible production is the future provided we maintain a wanted product at the end.. I know my customers are not going to be tempted in a crisp stand on there own pair of starched jeans, if we do not hold the interest of our fashion forward consumers we will not have a market for which we need sustaining!.. WATCH THIS SPACE!
However there is no rest for the wicked and the new buzz word in the Denim industry is Sustainability!..
Denim production is seen as one of the worst contributors in greenhouse gas emissions and water waste. In the UK alone an average person owns 7 pairs of jeans, (I am way passed the average.. eekk..!) we all need to be accountable, from my seat as a buyer to you guys as consumers! We already have Organic, Recycled, Better cotton initiative available from the denim mills which are proving popular with some leading denim brands- Nudie, Seven- for all mankind, Monkee jeans all working with 100% organic cotton for every pair of jeans they produce... I have no doubt more will follow in the next few seasons.
However this does not help our water issue, it takes thousands of Litres to authentically launder 1 pair of jeans!! Its really shocking figures and although all ethical laundry units will recycle their water within production there is still so much that can be done!.. Step up Levi Strauss & co, launching a new initiative this year with their water-less range:
Japan Rags have gone one further with NO water in their production!! Amazing....
This is only the start, its going to be a very interesting year in denim! Responsible production is the future provided we maintain a wanted product at the end.. I know my customers are not going to be tempted in a crisp stand on there own pair of starched jeans, if we do not hold the interest of our fashion forward consumers we will not have a market for which we need sustaining!.. WATCH THIS SPACE!
Saturday, 22 October 2011
The Classics....
My advise to Levi... raid your archives guys and pull out the classics!! You have soooo many amazing ads, dust them off and bring them back out to play! Re-launch them on a Saturday night (ideally on an X factor ad break... sad, but true!), sit back and reap the rewards!!!! Trust me...
They do not make them like they used to......
They do not make them like they used to......
The Campaigns....
Its obvious to say when a brand hits a good marketing campaign sales will rocket... Simple.
On the old school brands the formula has been the same for yearssssss... Ripped hunk of a man with a nubile, hot, sexy girl draped over him with little else on but the jeans they are selling.
Sexual imagery in advertising is a very powerful tool, and where better to place it than in the world of denim....
NUFF SAID!!...
However.... the times are changing. The use of increasingly explicit imagery no longer shocks the consumer, its almost become commonplace and for me.. Its getting tired! We are not all sat at home drooling into our Grazia's!! Are we???
There are brands out there that let the product do the talking.. and how refreshing is that!!
And it must be said.. I'm a sucker for a beard right now!.. Loving your work dudes.
On the old school brands the formula has been the same for yearssssss... Ripped hunk of a man with a nubile, hot, sexy girl draped over him with little else on but the jeans they are selling.
Sexual imagery in advertising is a very powerful tool, and where better to place it than in the world of denim....
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However.... the times are changing. The use of increasingly explicit imagery no longer shocks the consumer, its almost become commonplace and for me.. Its getting tired! We are not all sat at home drooling into our Grazia's!! Are we???
There are brands out there that let the product do the talking.. and how refreshing is that!!
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| Current Elliot |
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| Nudie |
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| PRPS |
And it must be said.. I'm a sucker for a beard right now!.. Loving your work dudes.
Monday, 17 October 2011
The power of stretch..
And so to another fight.. The denim mills have been flexing their muscles to provide a quality that will suck you in, stay strong and of course.. have the flexibility to perform your Saturday night party tricks!
Keep up the good work boys...
Sunday, 16 October 2011
The skinny is born!
In 1964, denim evolved to add Lycra through the cotton, and subsequently the Skinny jean is born! Can you imagine your life without them? As a buyer I have a real fear of the day the trend will wane, its been running strong for 5 years now which in the fashion world is a life time! No other trend on my buying floor has lasted this long. But we all must remember, the denim world is not driven from the catwalks, our runway has always been the street... When you find a style that works all you can do is look to build on it- the trend has evolved of course in the denim washes /colours and prints as seen in stores today.
Long may it continue I say!!
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Check out this Wrangler ad, what can I say.. it all comes back round in the end! The must have trend for denim AW11 is garment dyed (coloured) jeans. Every good store out there will have at least a couple of the key colours from berry reds to heathered oatmeal. I personally have my fair share folded in my wardrobe, but I would love this mint pair for ss12 please!!..
The Introduction
...I have set up a blog!!
Now for those that know me, I am slightly technically challenged but have a willingness to learn..
I am a denim buyer of womenswear (I will not reveal the brand as its much more fun for me if you guess!). I love my job! I am a very happy girl, so lucky to work within this community of absolute geeks.. believe me, our joy of all things indigo is contagious.. It's been said before, but denim truly is a religion, one that I practice with faith and belief.
This blog is exactly as the title states, a diary of denim, I will try and share all the highlights of my travels, the good, the bad and the ugly!
Here are a few images that got me hooked, starting from the beginning...
Now for those that know me, I am slightly technically challenged but have a willingness to learn..
I am a denim buyer of womenswear (I will not reveal the brand as its much more fun for me if you guess!). I love my job! I am a very happy girl, so lucky to work within this community of absolute geeks.. believe me, our joy of all things indigo is contagious.. It's been said before, but denim truly is a religion, one that I practice with faith and belief.
This blog is exactly as the title states, a diary of denim, I will try and share all the highlights of my travels, the good, the bad and the ugly!
Here are a few images that got me hooked, starting from the beginning...
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| We must pay homage to Mr Levi Strauss. It all started innocently enough with work wear pants for minors & cowboys... Now of course Levi jeans are the staple of all wardrobe around this small globe of ours- you have a pair right??! |
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| Denim worn by sailors in WWII |
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| The working women from WWII |
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The one and only.. James Dean! What a dude. |
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