OLD SKOOL - 1940's Tailoring

40’s influences in indigo and accessories. Dapper for gents, elegant for girls. Tweed is the new MUST with indigo.

Buttoned up and formalised. Is the tie on the return?

Double layered jackets in old- miner’s tweeds combined with old green casted vintage indigo denim plus fours style bottoms. Lots of detailing and clever cutting. Albeit gender neutral, this is a great girls denim combo - combine with brogues and big socks.

Shortened cropped styles combine with plaid shirts and bobby sox. Trainers and ties take us back to preppy 50’s inspiration.

OLD SKOOL - Preppy

Tweeds; ties and chinos. Totally classic until combined with old style cycle accessories. Non indigo plays a big part in this sporty trend.

Coloured denim with crisp white shirts - the new preppy casual elegance. Wash the denim such that the high low contrast becomes a feature.

Classic patterns such a paisley combines with wide cut indigo selvedge denims plus rolled cuffs. Big style branding and prominent logos transports us back to the 50’s.

….and again the essential waistcoat. Mix it all up with chinos or blue jeans.

TREND ALERT: OLD SKOOL

Old Skool influences, classic old fashioned styles combined with indigo blue denim. This is indigo with a fashion upgrade.

Long lines, fitted and buttoned up with big lapels. Jackets for both genders inspired by 40’s tailoring realised in dark raw denim.

Combined with lean straight turned cuff jeans. Dark, raw, original. Cool retro class.

Nipped in waisted indigo blue dogtooth jacket oozes retro chic. Combining with indigo sweater and distressed denim renders this classic look more norm core.

1950’s edge to denim style. No longer looks out of time and out of place - instead is refreshingly cool. Huge cuffs; braces; high waists; baggy straight cuts in vintage heavily textured denims.

…..and the essential waistcoat added to dark rich indigo jeans = forever classic.

TEXTURE - Laser Texture Effects

Ripping , repairing, shredding are usual ways of degrading the surface. With the development of laser finish technology there are many and different creative effects that can be achieved. You can even “paint” a picture on denim jeans with the laser.

The laser “burns” out the indigo in a pre-determined pattern, requiring no water to achieve such effects be they simple wear lines or complex fancy patterns, Hitherto grinding the desired effects and multiple washing was required to achieve the desired worn in / worn out looks.

Laser creativity on blue denim achieves the WOW! effect for catwalk jeans wear. The laser burns/cuts the warp threads in whatever pattern is desired so that after contact with water the weft cotton threads swell, fluff and fray to achieve extra soft dennison to contrived patterns.

The Seafarer Laser cut Jeans

Laser cutting patterns into denim has opened many creative doors for jeans designers. once the pattern is achieved a simple tumble wash releases the raw edged cotton texture.

Burn -out holes with naturally wash frayed edges creates amazing textural effects for denim jackets and tops.

TEXTURE - Heavy Weight Denims

Coarse 4x1 twills and 2x2 basket weaves in loft cottons give an appearance of original hand loomed weaves. The texture is soft and yet rugged looking almost like a canvas as the dye lifts of in time and wear.

Add a bit of warp cutting and wash fraying and these coarse denims become classy rags.

Heavy weight denims are naturally textured due to their weight and prominent twill line. The texture derives from the way that the indigo lifts off the twill in both laundry and personal wear.

Brushed effects on both face and back in indigo are enjoying current fortunes. Face brushed creates a lovely soft face breaking up the indigo twill and especially when applied to a sateen resulting in an indigo moleskin. But it is not easy to achieve on indigo denim as the brushing picks up the warp/surface dye and shifts it around creating unwanted streaking effects. With care and acceptance of a lot of poor quality the results are superb.

Backside brushing is easier and more cosy. Indigo denims are historically quite cool in the winter but with back brushing this is no longer the case.

Heavy weight denims are mostly 3x1 and 4x1 twills Achieving and overall chunkiness to both denim and jeans. Such denims are reminiscent of the old style railroaders jeans and trucker jackets of the 1800’s.

TEXTURE - UNUSUAL DENIM CONSTRUCTIONS

Dobbie, piques, jacquards and all that is not a twill count as unusual in blue denim. Canvas and plain weaves were big for hard tough goldrush workwear but they are stiff and unyielding to wear today. We therefore, render such construction softer with laundry techniques and softening enzymes as well as essential stretch in the weft..

Dobby weaves are used to create all over textural patterns in blue. Bullet hole effects; mini repeating patterns; pique cords and many other effects. They create an overall constructed texture.

Constructions that appear to “ float” over the cloth create another dimension of interest.

Pique knit effects give rise to the eponymous Jog Jean. Initially from Diesel. The surface appears like a knit with the back being looped, just like the original loop back 3 thread fleece of hoodie fame. When applied to jeans - mega comfort and mega slouch. Creating a whole new attitude in blue denim.

The word TEXTURE covers multitudes of construction and effects. In this instance the jaquard weave in indigo is coupled with some ripping and shredding and all over weave effects. The result is multi-dimension in indigo blue.

Indigo blue giant knits are hard to achieve. They are giant textures, soft, pliable and hugely desirable created from indigo dyed yarns which is an extremely difficult craft technique to master consistently, given that indigo dye is quixotic and doesn't naturally adhere to any fibre.

TEXTURE - Textured Yarns

Textural dimension is created with the use of textured yarns as well as creative weaves.

Denim creators continue to strive for that elusive naturally aged appeal of original aged denims. Those found in the mines of California. The effects of using such “fancy” textured yarns create a “must have” appeal when used in an open 3x1 construction.

Melange and marled yarns being black and white or dark colour and white serve to break up any patterns. The combination of indigo and melange yarns create a visual trick of multi dimension to the denim.

Nepps, loops, noiled yarns create a surface texture reminiscent of old tweeds. When worked into coarse denim which enjoys the natural quick loss of indigo colour- the effect is dramatic. The look is of really old miners denims having an aged charm.

Softness is THE most desired aesthetic and touch for denim right now. So the surface appeal of fluffy yarns and soft fluffed texture give the impression of softness as well as the touch.

TREND ALERT - TEXTURE -Vintage Texture

From clean neat form fitting denim womens jeans have shifted to embrace the easy fitting shape and characterful texture enjoyed by mens jeans for so long.

Crackle textural finish effects achieved by shrink to fit or pre-shrunk denims combine effectively with 3D creasing and age worn creasing. Sometimes with a little or a lot of worn through edges which create a texture all of their own. Some areas are worn bare contrasting with dark valleys achieved by stitching up during the wash or spray cycle.

Such textures create a sought after dimension and stand alone appeal.

Marbled texture is reminiscent of old vintage jeans. Such texture continues to enjoy huge appeal giving the jeans authenticity. Both marbled effects and crackle effects are enhanced with brown tint and staining to replicate the old worn out miners jeans from the late 1800’s. Once all such textural effects are superimposed onto the jeans the original shade and yarn character is all but obliterated making the jean itself a canvas for creative ageing.

Yarns are the fundamental building blocks for denim and jeans, It is the character, softness, strength of the cotton or other fibres which determine the nature of the denim and thereafter the jean. The choice of the denim is key to achieving the right look of the ultimate jean. It is the yarn character combined with weave construction that creates the textural foundation to achieve the desired attitude of the jean.

Then there is texture from destruction

Once we have made the denim, washed the denim and made the jean, yet more creative texture can be achieved with superficial destruction of the fabric - why? initially to emulate natural heavy wear, tear and ageing to the fabric. But now to create artificial and artistic destructions which have a stand alone appeal. Such creative ripping, repairing and shredding only really works with blue denim. Somehow it looks ok however over the top and artificial it may be. On other fabrics/colours the effects look too contrived.