As a fashion enjoyer, I love exploring textiles with different textures, colors, and durability. Denim was the first textile I really enjoyed. denim is a versatile fabric that has a timeless appeal. It has been around for centuries evolving from functional workwear to becoming a popular fashion staple.
To start, denim has always been praised for its durability. According to an article from Cottonworks, denim originates in 17th century France under the name of serge de nimes. In these times denim was mostly used as workwear and would be commonly used for jeans, overalls, and jackets. Denim didn't start to get popular in the United States until Levi Strauss got ahold of it in the late 19th century. He was already making work pants but was making it out of canvas material which is uncomfortable to wear. The denim material was much softer on the skin and it completely changed the style of work pants. Since denim is less stiff than canvas, they had to add extra seams and pockets to the design to make it more durable for heavy duty work. This type of work pants is similar to what is seen today. It wasn't until the 1950's when denim became more mainstream in the fashion world and was no longer seen as just a work pants. Celebrities such as Elvis, caused the denim look to become more popular across America and Europe.
By the 1960's, the classic blue jean was picked up by other designers such as Calvin Klein and began becoming synonymous with pop culture. People began to get more creative with pant styles and started to steer away from the cookie cutter work pants. Around this time is where we start to see the rise of bootcut and bell bottom jeans. As we move closer to the 21st century denim continues to remain versatile and people are still changing the way we style/design jeans. Some of my favorites I have seen are from Y/Project, Acne Studios, and A.W.A.K.E. mode. I like the way Y/Project and A.W.A.K.E Mode experiment more with intriguing designs. Acne Studios experiments more with the coloring and the wash of the jeans. As the fashion industry continues to change, it is exciting to see the way denim evolves with it.
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Hi Abbie! I loved reading this blog entry. I never knew that denim originated in France. Growing up, I was always wearing bootcut jeans but now I could never. I like how versatile jeans have become now, and how people create so many different styles and versions like displayed in your pictures.
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