Into the Blue

In

t0

the blue

Vol. 1 ISsue 1

table of

contents

04 All denim everything 06 Mad about blue: DIY 07 overall success 08 I t ' s i n o u r g e n e s 10 RAW denim roundup 12 Jean Queen: Kendall

Into the blue 3

ALL denim Everything

JOSEph Stromberg

O

n the 109th anniversary of Levi Strauss’ death, his chief product—blue jeans—have become a $91 billion per year industry, an icon of American culture, and quite possibly the world’s most popular article of clothing. His name, more than any other, evokes the tough denim fabric and heavy stitching of America’s favorite pair of pants. But the birth of blue jeans came under surprising circumstances—and the ancestral trousers barely resemble the blue jeans of today.

It all started in 1871, when tailor Jacob Davis of Reno, Nevada, had a problem.

The pants he was making for miners weren’t tough enough to stand up to the conditions in local mines; among other issues, the pockets and button fly were constantly being torn. “A miner’s wife came up to Davis and asked him to come up with pants that could withstand some abuse.” Davis looked at the metal fasteners he used on harnesses and other objects.

“At that time, he came up with the riveted trousers.”

As local miners

snapped up the overalls he made, Davis realized he needed to protect his idea.

“He had to rush, due to the fact that these worked really well,” says Nancy Davis. “He realized he had something.”

Lacking the money to file documents, he turned to Levi Strauss, a German immigrant who had recently opened a branch of his family’s drygoods store in San Francisco, and the two took out a patent on a pair of pants strengthened with rivets. Strauss ran the business, while Davis became production manager.

Business for the company boomed as pants flew off the shelves. Essential to the Levi’s name was the integrity and ruggedness of the trousers. As seen on the American History Museum’s own pair of antique duck trousers, made sometime between 1873 and 1896, the label clearly proclaims “Patent Riveted Duck & Denim Clothing. . .Every Pair Guaranteed. None Genuine Unless Bearing This Label.”

Even as the patent expired in 1890, Levi Strauss & Co. was already associated with a tremendously popular product and set up for longterm success. But introduc-

ing a new, more flexible fabric—blue denim—to go with the rivet idea proved to be the combination that would shape American wardrobes for more than a century and counting.

The 1890 creation of the iconic Levi’s 501 style, in particular, led to the denim jeans taking over, eventually moving outside of the working class demographic and into the embrace of everyday casual fashion. “Then we have record of—as early as the 1930s—people, other than blue-collar workers, wearing jeans. You do have people wearing them who don’t need to wear them, especially young people.”

In the latter half of the 20th century—decades after Strauss’ death in 1902—blue jeans achieved widespread cultural significance. “They really come to their apex in the 60s and 70s,” Nancy Davis says. “The interesting thing is that this particular type of pants, the blue jeans, have become international,” she adds. “It’s what people think of. When they think of America, they think of blue jeans.”

Into the blue 5

1.

overall success

2.

Choose your jeans.

The first step, obviously, is picking out which pair of jeans you want to rip. Tight and skinny, or boyfriend style?

Black, white, or blue? High waisted or mid-rise?

We find it’s best to do a few trial runs with either a pair of jeans you don’t really wear anymore, or denim you’ve picked up for cheap at spots like Goodwill or the Salvation Army. You definitely don’t want to take to your new pair of $200 J Brands with a scissor just yet.

Gather your supplies to distress and rip.

To really make jeans look authentically ripped, it pays to distress them a bit before you start cutting the holes. To do this, you’ll want to grab some sandpaper or a paint-removing block, steel wool, and a pumice stone. For the holes, use a pair of super-sharp small scissors, an x-acto knife, or a box cutter. We like to use a piece of cardboard or a small wooden block inside the pant legs so you don’t alter the back of the jeans—unless you want to.

d a M : Y DI e u l b t u o b a

3.

how to get your hands dirty in the name of diy

Put your jeans on to mark.

Use a pen, chalk or a safety pin to denote exactly where you want your rips and/or distressed areas. You might want to grab a ruler, too. It’s key do this while you’re standing.

Start distressing.

4.

5.

Lay the jeans flat and start rubbing your marked areas with your sandpaper and the pumice stone until the denim starts to really thin out and look worn. Obviously, the time it takes to do this step depends on the thickness of your jeans.

If you really want to go for it in the knee or butt area, tape some sandpaper to the floor, put the jeans back on, and slide around on the paper.

Start making your holes.

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After your jeans are sufficiently distressed, take your scissors or knife and use the edge (not the tip) to start horizontally scraping the area where you want your rips to be. If you don’t want holes all the way through, scrape enough that you start to see the white horizontal threads beneath the denim’s surface. Once you’re there, you can start using a tweezer to fray the threads.

By Dani Stahl

Everyone knows I’m forever a jeans girl, and I’ve tackled the whole spectrum of denim trends from the skinny to the boyfriend. But to be honest, overalls have always been tricky for me. Sure, I’ve purchased a few pairs with high hopes, yet they usually just end up taking up space in my closet (lots of space—have you ever tried to fold a pair of overalls?!). By now, however, it’s safe to say that the denim world has fully embraced the overall. And I do get the appeal—the style is casual and carefree, with a subtly sexy vibe. When you think about it, what’s not to like? So while I may never have been much of an overalls girl, I really want to be one. That’s why when Madewell invited me to their New York City headquarters to custom-distress my own pair, I was up for trying something

new. Maybe adding the Factory Girl touch would make me a true convert.

I arrive at the offices where all of the design magic happens; it’s where the creatives behind each season’s new styles dream up ideas and create sketches to figure out how to bring their visions to life. At Madewell, denim is at the core of it all, from great jeans to everything you wear with them. The brand has an effortless, tomboy sensibility— overalls are right at home.

I meet Madewell head of design, Somsack Sikhounmuong (before he was named head of women’s design at sibling label J.Crew!), who fills me in on some amazing details about the brand’s much-talked-about denim. Like, for example, it takes over 30 days to create one perfect pair of Madewell jeans, and about 47

different people are involved in the process. The distressing is all done by hand, so every pair is unique, and each person can only work on two pairs per day because all of the finishing touches are applied the old-fashioned way.

Today, I’m taking on that task myself. I’m presented with a pristine pair of slim-fit overalls in a solid medium wash. The overalls of my mind’s eye are authentic, like true workwear. So, the first order of business is to make some rips. The trick to having this look natural is to find the stress points where the denim would naturally tear with wear—and not to go overboard, because you want some stringiness. Next up is the sandpaper distressing, to make the fabric feel less fresh and stiff. I use both the basic sheets and a cool, electronic

tool with a rounded, rough tip until the denim feels supple but still tough. Lastly, whenever I think of overalls, I imagine a DIY house-painting project (picture it: Paint roller in hand in a cool pair of overalls!). So, I want to apply some splatter.

The key here is to dip your brush into the paint and hit it against your hand first a few times to remove the excess paint for perfectly sized droplets. But for good measure, I go ahead and dip my whole hand in the paint and leave a giant palm print on the butt (because when you’re working, things can get messy).

The resulting overalls are something that most definitely won’t sit in my closet.

Thanks to the special distressing, they feel very me. In the end, it turns out this Factory Girl is an overalls girl, after all.

Into the blue 7

It's In our

Genes

feel more fillmore

truth & dare

Short & Wide

unbeatable

by Oliver Hadlee Perch

the big wide wow

The question is, who are you? canadian tux redux

Most people think that perfect fit, when it comes to denim, has everything to do with one’s thut (i.e., butt-plus-thighs). And here they would be mistaken: A great jean fits your personality first, and your exterior second. Let’s face it: We all know girls with Jessica Rabbit curves who wear their boyfriends loose and square-hipped; they’re dudettes at heart, regardless of what nature ordained.

You might have thought that only a certain woman could wear denim so gleefully, and you may harbor some notions about who can actually wear a raw-edged micro-short.

But to borrow from John Hughes’s The Breakfast Club (and why not?), these young women would answer thus: “You see us as you want to see us—in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a bombshell, a festival girl, a tomboy, a princess, a lady, and a tramp.”

standout standoff

not from his closet Into the blue 9

By N ick C oe

raw

What is raw denim? Many question the cleanliness of raw denim and others assume they have to spend an arm and a leg to get themselves set up with a pair (again, a misnomer). In light of today’s milestone, we figured why not take the time now to tie up all loose strings.

Also known as “dry denim” for its hard texture, raw denim is “a denim fabric that is not washed after being dyed during its production”. In our words though…Raw denim is denim that has been unwashed, untreated, and virtually untouched to the extent that it remains in its pure form. In terms of raw denim jeans though, while it is unknown exactly what percentage of denim jeans sold are washed v.s. raw, we would argue that at least 90% denim jeans are the former (note: over 450 million pairs of jeans are sold per year in the U.S. alone). Despite raw denim jeans varying between manufacturers, aesthetically speaking there are some features shared – including the rigid, crisp look and feel; industrial, clean design; and sturdy construction.

We won’t dig too deep into the anatomy, but there are some notable differences to look for. Raw denim jeans are typically (but not always) produced with 100% cotton and can be sourced from a number of countries. Ever notice how some raw denim feels really thick (and heavy) while others are much thinner (and lighter)? That’s precisely what is referred to as the denim weight – or, technically speaking, how much a yard of raw denim fabric weighs in ounces (Oz.).

Putting aside the manufacturing process, the heavier the denim, the more rigid the garment (also due to starching) and more resistant it will be to abrade. Similar to any pair of pants, raw denim jeans comes in a variety of styles, cuts, and fits; such as tapered, slim, skinny, and even anti-fit (i.e. loose/baggy). One key element to be cognizant of is whether or not your raw denim is non-sanforized or sanforized. If it is the former, then after your

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raw denim’s first soak/wash, your denim can shrink significantly more (7% – 10%) compared to the latter (1% – 5%).

How is raw denim made? We’ll leave out some of the details here, but in a nutshell, raw denim jeans are produced via these steps: 1. Sourcing – Assuming the raw denim jeans are produced with 100% cotton, the first step is simply sourcing the raw cotton. As mentioned, cotton can be sourced from many different countries, ranging from Australia to Zimbabwe; and some will argue to the death over one country’s cotton quality versus another. 2. Spinning – Now that the cotton has been sourced, cleaned, and packaged in nice long “slivers”, it’s time for it to be spun. This is the process by which denim is pulled and twists into, creating yarn to be eventually woven to create the denim fabric. 3. Warping & Dyeing – The cotton moves on to the next stage, “warping”. Regarding indigo dyeing, there are three main methods – loop dyeing, slasher dyeing, and rope dyeing. Rope dyeing is considered superior as it is more laborious, specialized, and results in better fades (due to only the yarn surfaces being dyed). 4. Weaving – At this stage, the yarn is completely ready to be woven into the denim fabric.

Though many associate raw denim with selvedge denim, it is during the weaving process that creates the distinction. 5.

Finishing – Depending on the agreement, the denim sheets are rolled into drums and shipped off to the denim label. Some

denim brands complete their sewing and stitching via larger facilities, while others favor one-man. Not once during the finishing process is the denim distressed or washed in any way. It is left in its most pure and rawest state, and will only deteriorate with the wearer’s personal use.

This is all interesting but why should you care about raw denim?

Firstly, they have better value. Think number of wears versus amount paid.

You might be able to get a pair of pre-washed denim jeans for $50, but what’s the shelf life on them? It’s not uncommon for raw denim jeans to be able to withstand 1000+ wears before retirement. Personalization is the second reason. I had read somewhere that a pair of raw denim is like an individualized canvas. Indeed, the fade results and any other visible marks, rips, or tears are specific you and your body. Finally, believe it or not, non-raw denim jeans have a bigger and wider scale impact than you might think.

Though I’m sure there are some exceptions, the low maintenance and general simplicity of raw denim is not only less detrimental to the environmental, but also more labor-friendly. There are many other details to pay attention to when browsing raw denim, from each and every rivet and button donut, to the selvedge and slubbiness.

denim roundup

"I'm not exactly what you call normal"

Jean queen

Kendall Jenner, the 19-year-old model of the moment and social media darling, will appear in a new ad campaign for Calvin Klein’s #mycalvins Denim Series, a limited-edition, logo-driven offering inspired by athletic and urban streetwear. In North America, the line will be introduced at Opening Ceremony’s New York and Los Angeles stores on April 15, as well as online at openingceremony.com. Distribution will then be expanded to calvinklein.com on May 15. The global image campaign, photographed by Alasdair McLellan and styled by Melanie Ward in New York City, will also feature male model Simon Nessman. The ads will have a combination of print, outdoor and digital components. The campaign was produced under the creative direction of Calvin Klein Inc.’s in-house ad agency and creative studio.

Kendall jenner Into the blue 13

“Honestly, it has been my dream to be able to do something like that,” said Jenner in an interview.

“Calvin Klein’s ad campaigns have always been so memorable.” Jenner is happy to follow in the footsteps of other models who have appeared in Calvin Klein ads. “Being a Calvin Klein model is something that I’ve always dreamed of and it’s incredible to follow such major models like Kate Moss, Christy Turlington and Lara Stone,” she said. Describing the set in New York, Jenner said, “It was actually a pretty cool studio. I love rain, and it was raining outside and had a cool vibe.” She said she wore a jeans vest, “cool T-shirts” and cropped tops during the shoot.

“I’ve always wanted to be a model ever since I was a kid,” said Jenner. She said she graduated from high school a little over a year ago “and left my options open.” She just completed a busy fashion month. “I did a lot of runway. It was exhausting.

I was in four cities and walked a lot of shows,” she said.

Asked about her personal style, Jenner said, “I’m still 19, so I feel like my style is still developing. I find myself wearing jeans and T-shirts and leather jackets most often. I find style inspiration just traveling around the world and being in New York, London, Paris and seeing all of these different places and people with such cool style and edge. I think that I pick up a lot from just traveling.”

Jenner said she enjoyed appearing in the earlier #mycalvins social media campaign, where she posted a selfie of herself wearing Calvin Klein underwear. “I’ve been a fan of Calvin Klein, so to be a part of that campaign was really awesome. The underwear is amazing. Honestly, I wear it every night to sleep and I wear it every day, so it was a natural thing for me. It’s funny because my agent asked me, ‘why did you post

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that?’ and I said ‘because I’m actually wearing it and I actually love it and I wanted to post it.’” As for the latest jeans line, Calvin Klein Jeans and Opening Ceremony will jointly host an invitation only launch event on April 23 in Los Angeles. The global print and digital advertising campaign will break in May and will be supported by paid social media. The first billboard in the U.S. will go up in early April in Los Angeles, outside of Opening Ceremony. Additional billboards will follow beginning April 15 in Los Angeles (on Sunset and Havenhurst) and in New York (on Houston and Lafayette), followed by additional outdoor sites in Europe.

Meantime, after upgrading its denim line, revamping its product distribution and closing stores that no longer met expectations, Calvin Klein Jeans has recently delivered new product, and the company is seeing a good reaction from the consumer, particularly where they have installed new Calvin Klein Jeans shops, according to Manny Chirico, chairman and chief executive officer of PVH Corp., parent company of Calvin Klein. In North America, Calvin Klein Jeans has installed 225 shops in 2014 - 150 men’s shops and 75 women’s shops. In those newly installed shops, it has experienced a 40 percent retail sales

increase over the prior year. For fall 2014, overall average unit retail was up 15 percent, driven more by men’s, and that trend has continued into the first quarter of 2015.

In Europe, the company is in the early stages of a turnaround of the Calvin Klein Jeans business. It has installed more than 60 new jeans shops throughout Europe and has improved the quality of its European jeans line with better fabrics, trims and packaging. “We are effectively out of all off-price retailers in Europe and have closed approximately 40 underperforming stores over the last 18 months.

The jeans business in Europe is seeing improved sell-throughs and higher AUR’s in the first quarter of 2015 withv growth across all European markets [except Russia],” Chirico said.

Jenner, who’s been modelling since she was 14, has really hit her stride in the past year. She was the most-tweeted-about model during fashion month, where she walked the runways in New York, London, Paris and Milan. Among the shows she appeared in were Chanel, Alexander Wang, Diane von Furstenberg, Donna Karan, Vera Wang, Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Fendi and Balmain. She also appears in spring campaigns for Marc Jacobs and Karl Lagerfeld and has an advertising deal with Estee Lauder.

“Kendall is a modern beauty who brings her youthful spirit and edge to this special Calvin Klein Jeans business,” added Melisa Goldie, chief marketing officer of Calvin Klein Inc., who added that “Kendall’s powerful fan base and global reach will further amplify the current cultural conversation surrounding the Calvin Klein Jeans brand.”

The new limited-edition series, designed by Calvin Klein Jeans’ global creative director Kevin Carrigan, was influenced by the success of the #mycalvins social media cam-

paign, in which Jenner participated, alongside other models, musicians, athletes, celebrities and influencers from around the globe. The campaign encouraged fans of the Calvin Klein brand to post selfies wearing Calvin Klein using #mycalvins. The campaign engaged hundreds of global digital influencers from more than 25 countries, reaching about 400 million fans and generating more than 13 million interactions worldwide.

The denim series is anchored with a modern cropped take on the “Calvin” logo. The women’s and men’s offering features Calvin Klein jeans, logo T-shirts, denim shorts and jackets, jogger sweatpants, unisex backpacks and hats, in baby blue, washed black and white rinses. The collection is priced

to retail from $58 to $348 and will be offered for one season only. “This series is an expression of the athletic trend that’s happening right now,” Carrigan said. “I designed an assortment of unisex Ts and tops to be mixed with denim in elevated street styles.” Humberto Leon, founder of Opening Ceremony, added, “We grew up seeing Calvin Klein ads and wearing the jeans so it’s very exciting to be working closely with the brand on the launch of the new #mycalvins Denim Series. At Opening Ceremony, we want to bring the customers into our own story and introduce them to what matters to us, and this partnership represents that idea because Calvin Klein was always an important part of our youth.”

"Being a Calvin Klein model is something that I've always dreamed of..."

Into the blue 15