Designer Jeans archive

True Jeans featured on Big Idea with Donny Deutsch (CNBC)

True Jeans was recently featured on CNBC's "Big Idea with Donny Deutsch".  Jessica and I (Romney) sat down with Donny and his two other guests to get feedback on whether True Jeans has what it takes to be the next BIG IDEA for internet shopping.  The two other guests that day happened to be Duff Makagan (former bassist for Guns n' Roses) and his supermodel wife Susan Holmes (swimwear and jeans model).  We had a great time visiting with them on set.  Duff expressed some hesitation about shopping for jeans online but by the end of the segment we were happy that he came around.  Suffice it to say... they all believed True Jeans was a "Big Idea".  Enjoy the segment.

 

HonestMall - the Fashionista's (and Fashionisto's!) eBay

Perhaps you've visited the folks over at DenimBlog and HonestForum via our blog roll or some of our blog posts for some fashion advice or the scoop on the latest trends.

There is another really cool part of their website called HonestMall. You know how if you go into eBay and search for designer clothes, you end up with a gazillion results loaded with knock-offs and scams? Well, on HonestMall, it's a much smaller scale, and they've taken precautions to make sure that all of the listings are authentic.

The mall charges a one time $10 entry fee to keep the scammers out, and there are brand managers that review the posted items to make sure they're real. They dig through to make sure that the seller is a real person, that they have a high feedback rating, where the item came from, and they even comb over high-res photos to confirm stitching and tag details. No more squinting at your monitor to figure out if that sexy Juicy Couture sweatshirt or that cute Kate Spade bag is fake! Some sample brands you might find on there include Diesel Jeans and Sevens as well as Louis Vuitton, Dolce and Gabbana, Manolo Blahnik, and more.

They are also working on integration with myspace and facebook and are building a mini version to work on your phones and blackberries. The best part? They've started a charity too and a portion of all their revenue goes to the poor. Stay tuned for more info as we collaborate, and remember to shop safely! If you're ever suspicious, remember to have a look at our blog post about how to spot fake premium denim so you don't make an expensive mistake!

Ever Wonder How Designer Jeans Are Made?

Ever wonder how your favorite designer jeans are made? Nylon TV, a division of Nylon Magazine, gets to the bottom of this question in this YouTube video segment.

For the August Denim Issue, Dani Stahl visited the 7 For All Mankind factory and learned what goes into making the perfect pair of denim jeans. This video also illustrates all the steps it takes to make a pair of 7 For All Mankind jeans.  Many of the steps are done by hand which is one of the things that factors into the higher cost of premium denim jeans.   

Pine IV is Creating a Buzz

 

Pine IV has created quite a buzz around the green community lately.  It is hard to escape the eco-awareness craze and this is one trend that I hope is long lasting. 

The Green Girl Guide, a blog dedicated to eco-friendly beauty, fashion and lifestyle trends, recently featured Pine IV in one of its posts.  This post is great because it mentions how Pine IV is planning on launching a line made from organic cotton and bamboo in 2008.  In the mean time, Pine IV continues to do its part to help the environment by planting a tree for every pair of jeans they sell. 

Katherine McPhee wearing 7 For All Mankind

Katherine McPhee’s style has certainly come a long way since her first auditions for ‘America Idol.’ The 'American Idol' Season Four Runner Up has become a fashionistas and a stand out at red carpet events.  Katherine, who recently opened up about her struggles with eating disorders, landed herself on the cover of Self Magazine’s April 2007 issue. 

Go behind the scenes in Cabo San Lucas at the cover shoot for the April issue of SELF and see Katherine wearing a pair of 7 For All Mankind Shorts.

Jennifer Garner Loves Her 7 For All Mankind Jeans

Jennifer Garner loves her 7 For All Mankind jeans so much!  This lovely lady practically lives in these jeans, wearing them to run errands, attend meetings, sign autographs and even while playing with daughter, Violet.   Jennifer seems to favor the "A" Pocket style but has also been spotted wearing the signature bootcut. 

Join us in Welcoming Paige Premium Denim

How To Wash Your Designer Jeans

A recent article posted on EzineArticles.com entitled “How to Wash Your Seven Jeans” got me thinking about the best practices in caring for your designer jeans.  The article outlines the proper precautions to take when washing a pair of Seven Jeans. Given the garment’s level of quality and durable but delicate fabric, it is important to take care when washing to ensure a longer life of the jean and to maintain the great quality that the denim had at the time of purchase.

According to this particular article, “The ideal way to wash your seven jeans is to wash it upside down (inside out). Doing this will help you in two ways. First it will keep the color and the variations made in the shade of the jeans intact. Secondly the friction that develops while you wash several denim clothes together in a washing machine; gets reduced to a great extent.”  

This is sound advice but True Jeans also has a few additional tips to help you extend the life of your jeans, keep them from fading, and keep them from shrinking:

• Pay attention to any special wash and care instructions that may be listed on the tags.

• Turn jeans inside out prior to washing to reduce fading.

• Keep water temperature below 110 degrees.

• Use a mild detergent.

• Never put more than four pairs of jeans in the washing machine at once.

• Avoid the dryer.  Let jeans air dry.   

You can also check out this video from Nudie Jeans to see how they recommend caring for your denim.

7 For All Mankind Broadens Its Brand

The Journal tends to support the idea the 7 For All Mankind’s expansion will give the brand a stronger presence in the market and will be good for the company, stating:

"Launched in 2000, without any advertising but lots of word of mouth in hip, fashionable circles, Seven For All Mankind's jeans quickly became hot sellers, racking up $70 million in sales in its second year in business in 2002, up from $13 million its first year… The brand burned hot enough to catch Wall Street's attention. In 2005, Bear Stearns's Merchant Banking unit bought a 50% stake in Seven for All Mankind LLC for nearly $300 million. Founder Mr. Koral owned the rest. He is staying on with Seven until his contract expires in February."

Seven has also recently been acquired by the major apparel label, VF Corp, who also owns brands like Lee, Wrangler and Nautica.  Seven should be able to use the resources already in place at these sportswear brands while breaking into the accessory market.  

7 For All Mankind’s premium jeans literally exploded onto the scene, quickly earning critical acclaim and an immediate following for its innovative us of fits, fabrics, and finishes in denim.  Will the same happen for the brand’s new line of accessories? 

What do you think?  Will 7 For All Mankind be able to successfully crossover into other product categories or should they keep their focus on the quality denim that so many of us how come to love?

The Skinny on Tight Jeans for Men

Just how tight is too tight when it comes to men's denim?  It seems like the men's denim scene has been dominated with one look for as long as I can remember; the low slung, baggy look.  Recently though, we have begun to see a new trend emerging in the men's denim world. 

The skinny jean is now making a crossover into the men's fashion world.  The trend of slimmer menswear is popping up on celebrities and rock stars who have begun wearing slender, tight, and even women's jeans.

According to an article in Men's Health Magazine, there is a simple way to determine if jeans are too tight.  Quickly do an "anatomy test. If I--or you--can see any of your frontal anatomy through your pants, they're too tight."

Skinny, tight jeans are certainly not for every man!  Check out the clips below from Seinfeld to see what happens when Kramer tries out the tight jean trend.

 

Denim Invades the Boardroom!

In a recent article by Ezine Articles writer Megan Youngblood, the trend of denim becoming more and more acceptable attire for all occasions is discussed.  The article, entitled “The Modern Citizen: Jeans in the Boardroom,”  explains how even though the price of premium denim has risen, jeans have still managed to make there way into environments were they were previously taboo. 

It has become more and more acceptable to wear denim to the office.  According to Youngblood, one of the major reasons for the acceptance of jeans in previously non-jean friendly environments is the higher prices.  For example, “when your Citizens of Humanity, True Religion jeans, and Seven For All Mankind jeans have prices in the same range as your dress pants, you’re bound to see a crossover.”

Price tag aside, it is clear that certain styles, washes and cuts of denim are more acceptable for more formal settings like the boardroom.  When taking denim into a professional or formal environment, look for jeans with dark, clean washes and minimal embellishments or treatments.  Also, avoid cuts that cling too tightly to the body.  More relaxed styles are more acceptable as they create a more polish, professional appearance.

 To read more about wearing denim to the office, check out Denim For The Office - What Every Man Should Avoid and The Skinny on Business Casual. 

The Skinny Trend is Still Alive!

There is no denying that skinny jeans are continuing to rule the denim scene this fall.  I recently came across the collaborative fashion blog, Denim Blog, and found two posting that prove that the skinny trend is still alive and thriving.

The first posting, entitled “How Do I Wear Tight Hudson Jeans Well,” offers great advice for curvy women looking to rock the skinny jean look. A common concern among more curvaceous women is how to stay on top of high fashion denim trends without sacrificing a great fit and a happy body image. This article tries to send some light on how to make this trend work for you.   Make sure that the pair you buy fits you really well, and match them with some knee high boots to lengthen the appearance of your legs. Pairing them up with a loose-fitting top will also not only attract more attention to the jeans, but create the illusion of smaller hips and thighs.

The second post, “Designer Fashion – Back to the Future,” offers some insight into what runway styles will make it mainstream.  The article notes that retro styles are really making a comeback, and seem to have more impact with consumers than than cutting-edge new fashions do. Designers are noticing this trend and are gearing their designs toward the retro-fabulous, with wide headbands/bandanas, leggings, and of course, the skinny jean!  “The tighter the bottom, the better the look and they can be paired with just about anything.”

Check out some of the great skinny jeans True Jeans has to offer and see which styles will best fit you.  Some of my favorites are  the 575 Parliament, the Hudson Stella Skinny and the Wrangler 47 Lillington.

Breaking Denim News! Citizens of Humanity Acquires Gold Sign

 

The latest breaking news in the world of denim hit presses last week.  On Monday, September 10, 2007 Citizens of Humanity's announced its acquisition of GoldSign.  GoldSign is the brain child of Adriano Goldschmeid, who has created a line of luxurious and sophisticated premium denim.  This addition should prove to be beneficial for both brands and will allow each brand to bring innovative designs to its consumers.

The most important aspect of this acquisition has to be the fact that Citizens of Humanity has not only acquired the GoldSign label but it also has aquired Goldschmied's legendary laboratory and laundry facility, Laundry Atelier. Laundry Atelier is special because it is one of the few laundry facilities in the United States.  Laundry Atelier is a unique and innovative wash house where innovative and fashion forward denim washes, treatments and designs are created.  Citizens will now be able to benifit from Godschmeid's innovative technology available at this laundry facility.

The Skinny On Business Casual

There seems to be an external disagreement between old and new schools surrounding what ‘business casual’ is.  The custom of ‘casual Fridays’ has been more accepted in years past, with most organizations launching to a ‘everyday business casual’ state of mind as of the past few years.  Thank you, Silicon Valley, for spreading the idea!!

So…let’s go ahead and define it, shall we?  Or better yet, we will let Wikipedia do it for us:

I am one who likes to dress a bit casually at work.  I am also interested in any way to defend my right to dress more on the casual side.  Sure, capris or skinny jeans might not make the cut, but what about a great trouser cut?  I wear my pair of Orchid Wide Leg Trousers quite a bit with a dress shirt or sweater.  To me, the key to wearing jeans to work is ensuring that the details in the seams and back pockets are simple and the wash in more monochrome and on the darker side instead of lighter washes with a distressed look.

I’ve recently found my silver lining, not to mention new source of rationalization!!  In a recent
Boston.com article, research conducted by Ladders.com was shared.  Ladders polled over 1,000 executives who make more than 100k annually, about their own (and their employers’) view on business casual.  The response to me was great!  Results found that of respondents polled:

- 62 percent said business casual is their standard workplace dress code
- 80 percent of executives prefer to wear more casual attire at work
- 42.2 percent mention that they see more company’s adoption a less formal dress code
- 22.3 percent said the definition of ‘business casual’ has stretched to include JEANS!

On the flip side, however, as reported by USA Today, some employees are finding that their industry does not think business casual is appropriate.  I guess you have to look at business casual through the eyes of your boss, not to mention the industry you work in.  There are helpful hints all over the web, one of which is About.com’s HR section. These sites are especially helpful if you don’t have a written dress code at work.

For a good laugh to see just how far telecommuters will go to stay comfortable at work, click here.

These are problems and questions we all face at some point.  Feel free to share your opinion or story here.

Men's Premium Denim Forum: Style Forum

Men have just as many woes as women finding jeans that fit.  There are countless blogs for women’s fashion, most specializing in specific fit and body issues.  There are resources for women for everything from plus sizes to petite sizes and everything in between.  I have used these sites numerous times for suggestions, product reviews and shopping hints.

But what about the guys?  How do men with athletic thighs find help with fit?  What about the tall and lean men out there?  I think I’ve found one possible solution for this lack of help online.

Style Forum is an active forum with more than 15,000 members.  Registration is free, and the forum is really fun to read and interact with.  They offer categories that run the gamut of men’s fashion from urban to more tailored fashion topics, not to mention a section on fitness and social life suggestions for cities across the globe.  More than anything thing else, I like this forum because of the community members that contribute.  I love reading through the threads and seeing the helpful tone and overall camaraderie between the members.  

I have already found threads that might be helpful to some of our male readers.  One recent thread is a member asking for help finding the right fit for a more athletic thigh.  From the measurements he gives it is clear he falls into the ‘normal’ category when it comes to inseam and waist line, but it seems he still finds most jeans are too tight above the knee.

True Jeans attempts to solve these fit problems by requesting thigh measurements as well as inseam and waist.  To make our predictions that more ‘spot on’ we are also ask multiple choice questions about specific body areas, in fact this might be the most important and useful information we ask in general.

So here’s my question for all you fashionable men: What is your most frustrating fit problem, and what brands/styles have solved it?

Scratch and Sniff Denim - What Will They Think of Next???

You can always count on Women’s Wear Daily to provide you with breaking news in the fashion world.  The latest news in the denim world is reminiscent of childhood.  On August 30, 2007, WWD.com introduced me to a Spanish denim retailer, Cimarron, who has introduced scratch and sniff jeans for their fall line.  The idea arose during a late night design session when a member of the design team accidentally spilled a green tea onto their trousers.

The latest fall collection features colored denim with a matching scent.  The yellow jeans have a lemon scent, the orange jeans are scented with mandarin tones, green denim is minty fresh and pink smells of fresh berries.  According to Cimarron’s designer, Tiziano Folgia, the scent is only released when the denim is rubbed and the scent should last up to 20 washes.

This is an interesting concept but I am not sure if I am ready to walk around in denim smelling like mint or lemon.  What do you think?  Would you be interested in owning a pair of these new scratch and sniff jeans? 

Designer Trace Ayala Talks About William Rast's Denim Line

William Rast is one of the most popular denim lines on the market today.  With there unique washes and stellar fits, it is no wonder that celebs and regular folks alike cannot get enough of this fashion forward brand.

Justin Timberlake and best friend / partner Trace Ayala launched the line in 2006 and its popularity has skyrockets over the last few months with the help of celebrity endorsements like Jessica Biel and Jessica Simpson.  

In a recent interview with E! News, Ayala, who started his design career making custom designs for music tours and for friends, discusses William Rast’s upcoming fall line, which according to Ayala has an “Elvis/ Sinatra type of vibe.”

Check out the video to learn more about the celebrities who love this line and the technique William Rast uses to achieve a great fitting jean. 

William Rast on E!'s Daily 10

 

You’ve seen Jessica Simpson sporting these sexy jeans everywhere lately.  All of the growing celebrities buzz prompted  E!’s Daily 10 to  featured Justin Timberlake’s William Rast clothing line.  The line, which is inspired by Elvis and Frank Sinatra, has attracted quite a large celebrity following over the past couple of months.  The Daily 10’s host Debbie Matenopoulos went behind the scenes and spoke with JT’s partner Trace Ayala to see how the pair goes about creating a great line of clothing.

Trace describes how the design process begins by choosing which type of denim (Italian, Japanese, American, etc) will be used for a particular style.  Next, the duo decides which type of wash will be applied, whether it will be a dirty wash, a clean wash, or if the denim will be left raw.  Finally, the fitting process begins.  Instead of using one fit model, William Rast uses three very different models and takes the best fit out of the three.

Check out the video clip to learn more about how Jessica Simpson had William Rast design jeans exclusively for her.

 

Streetwear: The Insiders Guide by Steve Vogel

In May 2007 Steven Vogel released the book, Streetwear found here.  Vogel is a freelance writer and critic and has contributed to several international magazines and websites. He is also the Global Special Projects Manager at Burton Snowboards. 

Vogel is an enthusiast for all things street.  In his own blog post announcing Streetwear’s release Vogel writes about his own goals and aspirations behind creating this work:

“What I wanted to achieve with this book is not really that simple to answer with one statement. I wanted to gather all my friends, colleagues and people that have inspired me in one way or other and get them to sit around a table, eat some BBQ and drink beers and talk about our experiences, thoughts, fears, goals and opinions about the subject of streetwear and subsequently this sub culture which has, for all of his, turned from fan, life to work and hopefully still encompasses all these facets…you will not find the who’s who of streetwear here, some people whom I wanted to participate didn’t want to, I didn’t know them or they had no time…I don’t want to preach about what it is streetwear and what it is … Nor are any of the contributors interested in telling you what to think. Each contributor shares their story, their idea’s, their thoughts on their very own personal journey in this sub culture through either interviews and / or short stories that were conducted throughout 2006.”

In addition to his other achievements, Vogel curates the annual streetwear show, 'Untitled'.  Here is some information about the 2007 and 2006 parties .  'Untitled' is part of the BREAD & Butter international street culture tradeshow held in both Berlin and Barcelona every year.

I would suggest to any interested in street or urbanwear to check it out!  If you’ve already read it, or have suggestions on other books on the streetwear sub-culture I ask you to share the wealth in a comment!

To read more of Steven Vogel’s commentary go to his blog featured on Hypebeast.  There are a variety of blogs featured on this site about kicks, jeans, graffiti, art, and music.  All are great reads with an international flavor.

Designer's Chip and Pepper at the 2007 Teen Choice Awards

HollywoodUpClose recently caught up with dynamic twin brothers Chip and Pepper Foster at the 2007 Teen Choice Awards.  The quirky and crazy brothers chatted about the California lifestyle vibe they hope to embody in their clothing line.

The pair also shared their excitement about their recent collaboration with JC Penney to create their new line C7P.  C7P is an awesome new line that will be sold exclusively at JC Penney for affordable prices (everything retails for $34.99 or less).  The twins describe the jeans in their new line as, “the best jean at that price in America.”

Chip and Pepper also offer advice for new designers just getting into the fashion industry, saying “Go for it!” and “work for a good designer and get some training!”