I’m willing to bet you’re either wearing it right now or have at least one garment of it in your closet. You probably wear it most weekends without ever giving it a second thought. It’s a statement of the most understated iconography, for its seeming infinite presence often casts an illusion of simplicity over its remarkable history. Emerging as a statement of self expression throughout history, from the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, to being adorned by 50’s Hollywood sex icons like Marilyn Monroe, all the way back to, arguably, one of the most important dates in fashion history: May 20th 1873, the birth of denim.
Setting the scene in California 1873, miners needed tough pants to withstand the wear and tear of the mines they were working in. Emerging to offer up a practical, comfortable solution to labourers needs, Levi Strauss stepped in. It is said that as a believer of doing the right thing, Levi Strauss translated his ethics into his development of the Levi’s 501. A denim trousers, which was both durable and practical. So on May the 20th 1873, the American blue jean was born. In these early days, the 501 served a practical function, offering comfortable workwear for the labourers of the time, such as the miners, farmers and factory workers. Even through its progression to today, function has always informed it’s evolving design and the 501 still serves workers for all sorts of purposes, proving that the Levi technique of durability has stood the test of time.
In 1934, the first women jeans came to be and Lady Levis appeared in Vogue a year later. By the 50’s the 501 had become a fashion symbol, embraced as casual wear by Hollywood stars. Hollywood and sex icons, like Marilyn Monroe, wore jeans to portray another side of the female image. Denim was increasingly associated as having sex appeal, for it’s rugged aesthetic which was beautifully juxtaposed to the elegance of the glamorous women wearing them. This subtle rebellious undertone become more prominent as the decades went on.
In the 60’s teens adopted the slang term ‘jeans’, as a symbol of the punk rock look that was synonymous with that era. It was an indication towards youthful, tasteful rebellion. Similar to the way in which you or I would wear a uniform to visually show our job or educational identity, dressing in denim was a way of portraying your belonging to the 60’s rock subcultures.
Jeans have repeatedly been featured at the roots of movements which have helped to bring about monumental, social change. One key moment in history was the fall of the Berlin Wall, in Germany, 1989. If you were to search for images of the monumental occasion, you will be sure to find a crowd of men and women in denim jeans. Like an unspoken dress code, the unifying denim helped to affirm the sense of togetherness amongst the common people, that was so present on that historic day.
Fast forward a decade or so and today, denim is so much more than a staple practicality! We are spoilt for choice with ripped mom jeans, embroidered A-Line skirts, elaborately embellished denim jackets, baggy dungarees for an edgy street look and even denim boots (whut!?). It’s an incredibly exciting time for denim as fashion continues to push the boundaries of a fabric that is so simple in concept, yet so versatile in possibilities.
One of the hot trends right now (which I expect to see plentifully within festival fashion snaps over the summer) is holes and slits just under or - for the more daring- on the butt cheeks. I too have been unfortunately fortunate to have accidentally 'pulled off’ this trend in Sheffield's city centre.
I was wearing my favourite light blue Zara jeans, with rips in the knees and rough and ready frayed edges at the ankles. It is at this point that I must pay thanks to the 'fishnets under every item of clothing' trend for acting as my saviour. In summary, I was doing a coffee run for my colleagues and I dropped my keys, I bent over to pick them up and you can pretty much guess the rest. Determined to overcome the initial humiliation, I decided, as a dedicated fashion student, that it was my duty to strut- not walk; strut- back to the photoshoot set, completely owning the visibility of my fish-netted butt cheek to the rest of the publics probably sore eyes.
Despite my faux-par, I believe that this only highlights how denims versatility has allowed it to be continuously re-invented throughout different generations, different trends and different social attitudes to fulfil the desires and needs of the generation that own the present.
What is it about denim that keeps us coming back? It’s slow introduction into market has certainly helped to prolong its popularity to the extent that a wardrobe without at least one denim piece, would almost seem incomplete. It’s comfortable, practical, for the most part relatively affordable, and in more recent times, even an exciting way of blurring the lines between typical gender dressing. I see more and more frequently, men with vacuum packed skinny jeans and so many of my close girlfriends love to chill in their baggy mom jeans. Denims allowance for us to play with silhouettes offers a highly accessible, and universal means of self expression.
With a nod towards the value of self expression, my moodboard above is a visual representation of what denim means to me, at this exact point in time. But the chances are, I’ll probably have changed my perspective again by next week (thanks fast fashion you pain in my fish-netted butt). Featured images include myself working the uncool trend of double denim and Moschino’s Fall 2016 fire-engine red, Crease Printed denim jacket, which I snapped in Selfridges on Oxford Street. I also wished to highlight embroidery work on denim jackets to interject an element of playful personality, and to represent denims versatility.
You see, the great thing about denim, and probably why it’s lasted so long, is that it’s a fashion designers equivalent of an artists blank canvas. It would seem the possibilities of denim curations are endless, which leaves the future of denim, just as exciting and relevant as its past.
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