Author: Mikahala
Source: articledashboard.com
Premium denim has become the staple of every fashionable woman's wardrobe. Its trendy, casual comfort, boosted by Hollywood cachet, has put California on the fashion map as the jeans capital of the world.
It, spring fashions
,, spring fashions
, used to be we only looked to New York and Europe for fashion, but people are moving their eyes westward. The trend erupted in L.A., where, spring fashions
, it's all about surfboard culture, TV shows like `Laguna Beach' and `The O.C, spring fashions
, .,' and who's wearing what on the red carpet., spring fashions
, California is hot. And so is California denim.
Unlike mass-marketed jeans, premium denim makers boast that their handmade detailing combined with the latest design technology will miraculously transform your body. That precise engineering means jeans that lift a sagging posterior, erase hulking hips or lengthen less-than-perfect legs., spring fashions
, Other jeans promise to slenderize thick thighs, reduce a round rear, flatten the tummy or cinch the waist for an ultra-curvy silhouette.
Premium jeans are made of higher-quality fabrics (often imported from Italy and Japan) and have special embellishments, such as colorful stitching, gold- and silver-plated hardware, unique finishes and intricately designed, strategically placed back pockets. The result? Casual designer pieces with hefty price tags between $100 and $500.
Nearly all the hottest brands in premium denim -- True, spring fashions
, Religion,, spring fashions
, 7 for All Mankind, Chip & Pepper, Paper Denim & Cloth, Antik, Rock & Republic and Citizens of Humanity -- are manufactured in Southern California and have picked up a loyal Hollywood following.
Celebrities are our royalty, and we always want what they're wearing,'' says Mik Serfontaine, a Los Angeles-based denim designer whose hand-stitched jeans, spring fashions
, include a "Made in California'' label and have been, spring fashions
, spotted, spring fashions
, on pop stars, including Britney Spears and Beyonc้. ``To be based out of Los Angeles, spring fashions
, is almost necessary. New York is linked to the fashion of Old World Europe. It's more sophisticated and formal, like Milan and Paris. But denim? Denim is West Coast. We have our own flavor.''
It seems natural that the niche premium denim market would take off here. California is considered the birthplace of bluejeans. Levi Strauss, whose namesake company, spring fashions
, has its headquarters in San Francisco, created the first pair in 1873 as a sturdy work pant for men during the gold rush. The Bay Area is also home to the Gap, a retailer that had its start selling jeans in 1969.
Since then, the once-utilitarian uniform has evolved into a high-fashion, modern luxury item and, according to Women's Wear Daily, a $6.76, spring fashions
, billion business that continues to grow. Charles Lesser, CFO of True Religion Brand Jeans, estimates that premium denim occupies 5 percent of that overall market. That's about $340 million in sales revenue that primarily goes to California denim labels.
While Levi's prides itself, spring fashions
, on its much-sought-after, spring fashions
, vintage collector, spring fashions
, styles, the company is updating its image with the opening of its Beverly Hills store this month and the launch of its own premium Capital, spring fashions
, E line.
High-end designers are also cashing in on the trend. This Fall, Zac Posen teamed with 7 for All Mankind to create an, spring fashions
, exclusive ``super, spring fashions
, premium'' jean collection for Neiman Marcus. Embellished with embroidery, tassels and antique pewter rivets, the three styles were priced between $450 and $995.
Prada, Valentino, Chanel, Marc Jacobs, Imitation of Christ and Dolce & Gabbana were among the other designers who included jeans in their spring collections.
Even with the glut of premium denim makers on the market, smaller, up-and-coming labels such as DSquared, Ernest Sewn, Union, AG and Blue Cult are surfacing in Bay Area boutiques and on celebrity, spring fashions
, fashion magazine ``it'' lists.
Still, there's more than Hollywood's endorsement helping designer denim fly off the shelves.
Premium denim is attractive to customers because it is now made to accentuate, spring fashions
, and fit the body: new silhouettes, better finishes, better washes, back-pocket details and a great, flattering fit.
Brands like 7 for All Mankind import Italian and Japanese fabrics, then process them in up to 15 treatments for a supremely soft feel. Joe's Jeans prides itself on eight cuts that flatter a range of body types. Paper Denim & Cloth uses a signature two-piece contour waistband in their women's low-rise jeans to avoid the common problem of back gap and backside cleavage.
"It's really all about the fit,'' says Kristina Brandt, 23, of San Jose, who owns five pairs of high-end jeans and was at Metropark eyeing a pair, spring fashions
, of Rock & Republics with snakeskin R's stitched onto the back pockets. ``I'm tall, so it's hard to find regular jeans that are long enough. I've tried to find cheaper used pairs on eBay, because I'd rather try not to spend all that money, but I have. And I will.''
