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Since the mid to late 90’s,
premium designer denim has been marching forward
into the jean market. Before long, carefully planned
marketing strategies had starlets wearing their
new ‘favorite’ jeans to just about every
Hollywood event and lo and behold, a trend was started.
Today we counted over 20 premium
brands with new ones slated for release in early
2005. Many of the newer lines are offshoots of other
already popular brands. For example, Loomstate is
the organically based offshoot of Rogan and Sacred
Blue is the brainchild of Blue Cult’s founder
David Mechaly’s son Frank. Other times designers
and founders have left one brand behind to start
another as is the case with Citizens of Humanity
founders Jerome Dahan and Michael Glasser who had
originally started up Seven for all Mankind jeans.
By the looks of things, the designer
denim trend is not slowing down with more brands
and more fabric and finish innovations on the horizon.
Customers are coming back for more too. Despite
the heft price tags of $150 and up, aficionados
point to flattering fits, illusionary die jobs that
shave off inches and add height and wonderfully
handcrafted and ‘ authentic’ vintage
finishes that create a sort of built in nostalgia
to the jean buying and wearing experience. But beware,
word is out and other lesser brands are hopping
onto the premium band wagon as we speak. At JC Penney
you can find Premium Arizona denim on sale for less
than $50. Will it have the same features as these
designer brands? Not a chance. Is someone picking
up on the lingo and riding out the trend? You bet!
How will these premium brands stay
ahead of the curve? Only time will tell but from
the looks of things, constant research and development
as well as a keen eye for subtle societal trends
will be the way of the denim world. Loomstate’s
organically grown cotton addresses the need for
responsible cotton growing while brands such as
Sacred Blue and Blue Cult propose hand finishing
as an antidote to manufactured sameness. At Earnest
Sewn, each jean is ‘built from scratch’
by one operator who takes pride in the finished
product.
Can jeans made by seamstresses earning
a living wage be far behind? Will anti brands sold
by word of mouth entirely on the web at clandestine
sites be next or will the concept of individually
tailored jeans be the future of denim? All we know
for sure is that these premium brands have created
an appetite for a superior product and they have
significantly raised the bar on what the denim buying
public will pay to look great in a pair of jeans!
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| Blue
Cult |
Who’s Behind the Tag: David Mechaly
What makes them so special: His butt lifter style
that gives the illusion of a higher, rounder butt!
Also,
each
jean is hand vintaged in a 20 minute process
and his unique stretch base fabric looks more rigid
than it
is, giving it a more authentic aspect. Retail price:
$115-$180 |
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| Chip
and Pepper |
Who’s Behind the Tag: Twins Chip and Pepper
Foster
What makes them so special: Sought to recreate
the original 1900 Levi’s fabric and succeeded!
Also features discreet details like printed pocket
liners and a serial number on each so that they are
collectible. Retail price: $154-$242 |
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| Citizens
of Humanity |
Who’s Behind the Tag: Jerome Dahan and Michael
Glasser, formerly the founders of Seven for all Mankind
What makes them so special: An update to the already
popular fit they established with Seven jeans.
These new jeans sit lower and minimize butts without
showing
off thongs! Retail price: $123-$145 |
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| Earl
Jean |
Who’s Behind the Tag: Designer Suzanne Costas
and Company President Bonnie Takhar
What makes them so special: Dark washes that slim and minimize
along with carefully planned details. The newest
looks
feature grinding and ripping.
Retail price: $ 150 |
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| Earnest
Sewn |
Who’s Behind the Tag: Scott Morrison, formerly
the founder of Paper Denim and Cloth and Earnest co-founders
Lori Jacobs and Eleanor Lembo
What makes them so special: Morrison tries to incorporate a sense of
handicraft by having each pair made from start to
finish by one
person. There is no assembly line here! Also, the
base material was inspired by carefully analyzing
denim
making techniques from the early 1900’s. Retail price: $180 |
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| Hudson |
Who’s Behind the Tag: Robin Chretien, Scott
Drake and Peter Kim
What makes them so special:
Stylish detailing and amazing fits on affordable
denim silhouettes. Retail price: $150 |
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| James
Jeans |
Who’s Behind the Tag: Seun Lim
What makes them so special: With strategically placed back
pockets, darker inseams and a highlight on the thigh,
these
jeans have been called the optical illusion jean!
Retail price: $140 |
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| Jean
Paul Da'amage |
Who’s Behind the Tag: Jean Paul Da’mage
What makes them so special: Hand cut, hand sewn,
hand washed jeans that elongate the wearer. Simple
pocket stitching and no frills here; just a great
fit and a true vintage feel. Retail price: |
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| Joe's
Jeans |
Who’s Behind the Tag: Joe Dahan
What makes them so special: His signature fit is designed
to flatter every figure type you can throw at it!
The
new Premium
line features hand sewn contrast stitching, embroidery
on back pockets and other artsy details. Retail price: $150 and upwards for the premium jeans |
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| Loomstate |
Who’s Behind the Tag: This brand is an offshoot
of Rogan
What makes them so special: Organic cotton:
need we say more! Retail price: |
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| LTB
Jeans |
Who’s Behind the Tag: Turkey’s mega
corp; Cak Group
What makes them so special: Turkey
is
becoming a bonafide denim hotbed of creativity
and product development thanks to the foresight of
this
company. LTB Jeans are fit friendly and feature
many of the most popular washes. This brand is huge
in
Europe and in Lebanon. |
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| Paper
Denim |
Who’s Behind the
Tag: Scott Morrisson
What makes them so special:
Ring spun denim and a limited run on packaging so that
after 50 000 pairs, there is a new look! The two piece
contour waistband, single needle back pockets, J stitch
details on the fly and the oversized belt loops all
add up to amazing fit and comfort.
Retail price: Around
$150 |
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| Rock
and Republic |
Who’s Behind the Tag: Michael Ball and Andrea
Bernholtz
What makes them so special: A comfortable
fit and tons of little details that only true denimophiles
can love! Retail price: $220 |
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| Rogan |
Who’s Behind the Tag: Rogan Gregory
What makes them so special: Rogan was one of the first
premium brands and is now popular with the entertainment
industry
types. Non fashionista styling inspired by miners
and workers offers the perfect antidote to sameness.
Retail price: $200 |
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| Sacred
Blue |
Who’s Behind the Tag: Frank Mechaly, son of
Blue Cult founder
What makes them so special: Carefully
and individually distressed jeans that tell a story.
Mechaly has managed to create vintage looks with
natural wear and tear aspects. Also great are SB’s trousers,
multi pocket sanded flares and retro 70’s style
blue with a slight green tint. Retail price: |
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| True
Religion |
Who’s Behind the Tag: Jeff and Kym Lubell
What makes them so special: Their denim is aged
to perfection and their corduroys are now offered
in
a rainbow of scrumptious colors. Look for new rigid
washes
and clean looks soon. Retail price: Around $170 |
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| Wrangler
47 |
Who’s Behind the Tag: Custom guitar strap
and men's and ladies apparel designer Wendy Mullin
takes
on an American institution!
What makes them so special:
This line is a careful blend of nostalgia and good
old American fun. Western details, cool again nerdy
washes and a touch of humor make this the new must
have for the 20+ set. Retail price: Around $140 |
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| Yanuk |
Who’s Behind the Tag: Paul Guez,1970’s
founder of Sassoon and Ya-el Torbati
What makes them so special: Special details and new cuts.
Look for their new roomy boyfriend cut, slouchy trouser
and Skinny Jean. Special details include nifty
back
pocket stitching, extra back pockets, large butt
minimizing flaps and extra belt loops.
Retail price: Around
$150 |
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