Premium Denim's New Breed
With a plethora of options, the premium-denim consumer has had to become a savvy shopper. Aristocrat denim has even started using the tagline “premium luxury denim,” perhaps to differentiate the brand from wannabe brands that have adopted the “premium” label as a buzzword. True premium denim has become a wardrobe staple for the style set, and these well-informed consumers are seeking the next big brands to stand out from the crowd and set trends.
Joie Rucker and Michael Glasser of Rich&Skinny cite boredom as the biggest challenge in the market. “The customer is tired of the same old, same old. They already have 20-plus pairs of premium five-pocket jeans in their wardrobe,” Glasser explains. “Our mission is to give them exciting and innovative new jeans that don’t look or feel like anything they already have in their closet.”
True premium-denim aficionados have old favorites but aren’t afraid to infuse their denim repertoire with hip new labels and interesting designs. Cristina Moe of Hush boutique in San Francisco often selects brands that are under the radar in hopes of delivering these labels to customers first. “If you consider cost per wear, with most people wearing jeans almost every day and wanting something unique, both men and women have been collecting more premium denim,” says Moe. “I think most shoppers prefer quality and something that looks great on them, whether it’s an emerging or established brand.”
Providing an assortment of big names and smaller indie labels seems like a safe bet for premium-denim retailers. However, not all buyers are willing to take the risk. “The biggest challenge we face as an emerging brand is to get buyers to let go of an older, tried-and-true brand that may be getting a bit stale and take a chance on something new,” says Ya-el Torbati of Deener Denim.
“One of the biggest challenges for an emerging brand in the premium-denim market is the amount of already-established, well-known brands with tremendous financial backing,” says Pat Ramos of Karmel & Alden. “We have found that some of the larger brands have become increasingly reliant on their names, to the detriment of the quality and design of their product. Also, product placement with a celebrity is still incredibly important, and that can be very difficult when you are just starting out,” says Ramos.
So what does it take to get noticed in such an oversaturated market? Christina Claypool, owner of ShopInLieu.com, says the number one factor for buying denim is fit. “Our customer loves hip denim, new, special features, etc.,” she explains. “But at the end of the day, the jeans have to feel good—they have to both look great and feel great. That combination is sometimes hard to find, but when you do find it, the line will sell over and over again.”
In this special feature, some rising stars in the premium- denim sector offer insight into the market and a glimpse at their latest collections.
Aristocrat
Owner Bob Bak launched Aristocrat for Spring 2007 with the intention of fulfilling a need for a designer-quality jean at an attainable price. Designed and washed in Los Angeles, and produced in Los Angeles and New York, Aristocrat provides a balanced collection of on-trend styles with a “modern, sleek, and clean aesthetic.”
With projected gross sales for 2008 at $9.8 million, Aristocrat produced over 65,000 units in 2007 and expects 110,000 units in 2008. Bak says the label is only distributed to “A-list stores that cater to the consumer, offering proper display of the jeans and superior customer service.” Barneys, 4510, Fred Segal, Ron Herman, E. Street Denim, and National Jeans are among the growing list of retailers. “The denim market has been soft, and the retailers are hesitant to try a new brand because they are uncertain about sell-through. Fortunately, because of our special washes and unique product range, we have been able to convince even the most hesitant and careful buyers to buy Aristocrat,” says Bak.
For the upcoming Spring 2008 season, Aristocrat is going beyond basics with novelty treatments on high-rise wide legs, high-rise short shorts, cropped wide legs, dresses, tops, and skirts. Fabric and hardware are Italian-made. The washes are free of chemicals and 100 percent biodegradable. Washes in rich dark and medium dark hues have a cashmere-soft feel.
New Washes/Fabrics Spring: Italian lightweight denim for dresses, special coated Italian fabric
Signature Styles: Windsor boot-cut, Somerset and Orlando flares
Top-selling Styles Fall: Tinsley wide leg in Norwich and Bishop, Windsor in Tristan and Dalton
Wholesale: $75–$104
Bishop of Seventh
Recently relocated from New York to Los Angeles, co-founders and creative directors Chachi Prasad and Karam Kim of Bishop of Seventh have settled into the L.A. denim market with ease. Despite the rising costs of domestic production, the line is entirely handmade and washed in Los Angeles. Diani, Stanley Korshak, Nordstrom, and NeimanMarcus.com are among the top retailers. Projected sales for 2008 are $6 million–$7 million, with annual production runs between 25,000 and 35,000.
The label boasts special attention to tailoring and details with denim sourced from domestic mills (Cone and Swift) and hardware from Italy and the Far East. “We have unique back-pocket details, double welts, saddle stitch on the inseam, and menswear-inspired curtain waistbands,” Prasad explains. “We also produce trousers with the inspiration of denim. Our denim construction has morphed into trouser fabrics.”
Something else that sets the line apart from other brands is an $18,000 diamond-encrusted jean for the Wynn in Las Vegas, with 6.25 carats set in 14-karat white gold on the trademarked back-pocket design, as well as a ruby-encrusted logo button. The designers also have a style that is blessed for good health, happiness, and prosperity by the venerable Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsin, a Tibetan spiritual figure.
Prasad and Kim are introducing dresses and shorts in denim and trouser fabrics, as well as a men’s collection for Fall 2008. “We are focused more on trouser cuts for our denim line going forward. We are also doing a high-waist jean that drapes as a trouser for 2008,” says Prasad.
Signature Styles: Tribeca Signature pocket, 7th Ave. pocket, Blessed 35th St. pocket
Wholesale: $80–$140
Deener
American Rag, Ron Herman, Kitson, Fred Segal, and P45 are among the top retailers for Los Angeles–based Deener Denim. Operating under the privately owned company Real Indigo LLC, projected sales for 2008 are $3 million–$5 million. With denim sourced from Italy, Japan, Tunisia, Turkey, and the United States, and hardware from Argentina, Deener denim is assembled in Mexico and washed in Los Angeles. Owning a manufacturing facility gives Deener a competitive edge by allowing designer Ya-el Torbati to create novelty fashion items with lower volumes than core basics, as well as offer retailers exclusive styles with quick turnaround.
Standout pieces from the upcoming Spring 2008 collection include the jumper short, swing jacket, pleated jumper skirt, and the Slacker (which is made in 6-oz. denim with an extra-wide leg and cracked leather button details). “I’m taking lots of traditionally non-denim ideas and putting a fresh twist on them in denim,” says Torbati. “It’s a very clean and classic line but still manages to have lots of personality due to fine detailing.”
New Washes/Fabrics Spring: Haze (purplish), Powder (clean retro light blue void of any sanding), Putty (slightly more aggressive wash), Insaturation (super-saturated, vivid, retro palette). New fabrics include a gingham denim and a super-light and buttery 6-oz. denim.
Wholesale: $59–$198
Farmer
Launched for Fall 2004, Farmer jeans are designed, sourced, produced, and washed in Los Angeles. Projected sales for 2008 are $5 million. Top retailers include Lisa Kline, Blues Jean Bar, RevolveClothing, and the Farmer Jeans store in Hollywood. CEO and creative director Peter Lang Nooch La-or says one of the biggest challenges is that buyers often base decisions on publicity rather than quality. The target Farmer customer is a “hip, stylized individual who concentrates on an individual look, not looking like anyone else,” he says. “Jeans are supposed be a contribution to your style, not your main focus.”
The decision to enter the premium market was dictated by cost. “Our jeans are made of better fibers, better design, and are difficult to construct,” La-or explains. “We focus on pure, true-to-source, timeless style. One look at our product and you instantly notice that we are denim junkies, not fashion junkies. We live, eat, and breathe blue.”
The line consists of eight fits for men and 10 for women. Each season Farmer offers core fits, but those bodies are tweaked and enhanced. The jeans are coded with a lunar-calendar animal year, so wearers can collect the jeans as new styles are offered. For Spring 2008, Farmer will introduce flat, understated washes, and trouser-based jeans. “Our line still focuses on vintage appeal with lifestyle-driven fits,” La-or explains. “Our washes are based on the denim fabric—we focus more on quality of fiber and not contrived washes. It’s denim that is going to give you a beautiful, long-lasting look, not some trendy wash that’s going to be hot for a moment.”
Top-selling Style: FlapjaxFall 2008 Plans: Denim bags, children’s denim, T-shirts, light outerwear, and denim care products
Wholesale: $75–$90
Jainesse
Designer Jaycia Gayle’s retro high-waist styles are right on trend, and her denim jumpers, dresses, and jackets are also gaining attention from denim devotees. The high-waist styles include belted and non-belted wide-leg and peg-leg jeans, shorts, and skinny legs with or without suspenders. Denim and hardware are sourced domestically and overseas, and the jeans are produced and washed in Los Angeles. Projected sales for 2008 are just under $1 million. Top retailers include Lisa Kline, Madison, and The House of Petro Zillia.
As an emerging label, Gayle says the biggest challenge is getting the brand the notoriety it deserves. “The industry is geared toward making the big brands even bigger,” she says. “We design for the consumer who wants and is not afraid of standing out because they are different and not necessarily trendy.”
New styles for Spring include vintage-inspired jeans, a Bermuda short, a short short with zipper detailing, and a high-waist skirt. Best-sellers have been modified with textured and colored fabrications including camouflage and tone-on-tone striped denim. New washes are very light hues, as well as bright tones like lime green, yellow, purple, and turquoise.
Signature Styles: Charlotte and FoxyTop-selling Styles Fall: Charlotte, Auriela jumpsuit, Foxy, Rachel skinny-tux overalls, Sgt. Pepper–inspired Amber jacket.
Karmel & Alden
Launched for Fall 2006, Karmel & Alden’s projected sales for 2008 are $2 million, and the company expects a dramatic increase in production. Denim and hardware are sourced from Japan, Italy, and the United States, and the line is designed, produced, and washed in Los Angeles. Stocked in over 70 boutiques across the country, top retailers include Blonde L.A. in Santa Monica, Calif., Dungarees in Studio City, Calif., and 42 Saint in Scottsdale, Ariz. Each season the company produces 12–15 styles for women, 7–12 fits for men, 6–10 for girls, and for Spring 2008 5 styles for boys.
“Karmel & Alden has created a product that not only fits all the specifications of a true premium jean but stands out from the rest of the crowd through attention to detail,” says designer Pat Ramos. “While many brands are following the trend for decadent, over-stylized designs, we have chosen to keep our collection precise, with simple but clever detailing such as double threading and great fabric textures.”
New Washes Spring: “Ink wash is a very uniform, clean, blue-black, luxurious wash. Painter has random splatters, which pays homage to the Abstract Expressionists of the post–World War II period. As usual, we have focused on the details and incorporated localized effects such as resinated wrinkling and a light, worn polish or a ’dirty-effect’ and polish. Also offered is an array of sumptuous garment-dye colors such as royal blue, melon, canary yellow, and dusty pink,” says Ramos.
Top-selling Styles Fall: Rebecca, Ashley, and Virginia (which will be offered in a lighter wash for Spring 2008) for women; Darcy, Holden, and Ruben for men.
Signature Styles: “Virginia and Rebecca for women and an updated wash of the Darcy jean for men. For girls, the Jimena jean, as well as a cropped version of this style,” says Ramos.
Wholesale: $150–$180; $55–$75 for kids
The ProportionofBlu
Barneys, American Rag, Ron Herman, Stanley Korshak, Villains, Harvey Nicols Dubai, United Arrows Japan, and Podium Moscow are among the top retailers of The ProportionofBlu. Targeted to the trend-setting customer, The ProportionofBlu uses the guideline of the Golden Ratio in elements of pattern-making and design development, as well as in details of the design. The brand started with five-pocket jeans in special indigo finishes. For Fall 2007 the company introduced fashion pieces like the cropped buckle pant, raw-edged trouser, and cape. The Spring 2008 collection includes woven dresses, jersey tees, and Modal dresses, as well as trousers and skirts in a variety of Japanese denims and wovens. Women’s straight, slim boot, and wide-leg styles, as well as men’s slim boot, trouser, relaxed, anti-fit, and skinny, will be carried over for the upcoming season. The Spring 2008 collection is being produced in Los Angeles, with denim sourced primarily from Japan and hardware from Italy.
“The biggest challenge is the connotation around the word ’denim,’” says designer Terrell Wick. “People tend to think ’indigo,’ which our Spring collection features very little of. The challenge has been getting people just to consider looking at denim—but once they do, the response is usually favorable.”
New Styles Spring: Carrot Trouser in gray denim (a fitted trouser that tapers down to the ankle with flattering bar-tacked pleats) and the Bellingham (pinched in at the knee and flared at the leg opening) for women, as well as a Cropped Pant with welted pockets and tapered carrot leg and a Relaxed Short with button fly for men.
New Washes/Fabrics Spring: Soft colors and saturated metallics. The women’s collection includes European gray denim, non-denim wovens, and jersey. New styles for women include the Wide Leg in washed-down finishes, the Straight in a resin-press metallic, and the Slim Boot in woven stretch. All bottoms feature the tone-on-tone stitching introduced for Fall 2007 along with oxidized gunmetal hardware.
Wholesale: $104 –$124
Rich&Skinny
On the cusp of becoming one of denim’s heavy hitters, but still qualifying as a hip up-and-comer, Rich&Skinny is designed by Joie Rucker and Michael Glasser in Santa Monica, Calif., and produced in Los Angeles. Still in the first year of production, with over 50 styles per season, the brand is focused on continuing to innovate existing products in the line. Projected sales for 2008 are $25 million–$35 million. “We saw an opportunity to move the market in a new direction,” says Glasser. “We saw the boredom factor was starting to impact the premium-denim market segment, but no one was really addressing it. We knew that we could be the ones to lead and help revive consumer interest in jeans. Because we are a small and nimble company, we are able to act quickly to bring products to market where we see the need.”
The duo set out to redefine luxury denim and have found that the customer has responded strongly to their most innovative designs. “They aren’t looking for more basics,” the designers explain. “Our suspicions in starting the company—about there being a void even in a very saturated market—have been confirmed.”
For Spring 2008 they’re introducing an impressive assortment of new styles and washes in a wide range of rises and fits. “The underlying thread of the collection is to offer fashion alternatives to the five-pocket jean with signature luxury detailing and a focus on real-world sex appeal,” the designers explain. The company received rave reviews for their new fashion denim styles, which are “re-interpreted versions of ’70s styling gone modern.” “This is the direction we believe in and will continue to evolve in the coming year,” says Glasser.
New Washes/Fabrics Spring: The majority of fabrics are lighter weights (8–11 oz.), with different levels of stretch in new light-casted indigos and a wide spectrum of bright colors. Washes range from very dark dressy resin finishes to extremely light soft vintage indigo. “We continue to evolve our colored denim, which has been a signature of the brand since we began,” says Glasser.
Signature Styles: Lanky, high-waist, wide-leg fashion jean, which will be updated with new fabrics and washes; Bellissima, a sexy, low-waist bell-bottom; Flashy, a mid-rise, fit flare; and High, a skinny, high-waist jean.
Wholesale: $65–$200
Stephenson
Parsons graduate Amy Stephenson launched her eponymous label for the Fall 2007 season. Currently bicoastal (New York and Los Angeles), the designer uses washhouses in Los Angeles, sources denim from Japan and Italy, and produces offshore. Retailers for the newbie label include American Rag, Bergdorf Goodman, Henri Bendel, Planet Blue, Nordstrom, and AB Fits, as well as online retailers ShopBop, RevolveClothing, and ActiveEndeavors. Dubbed “Tom Boy Chic,” Stephenson’s signature silhouettes employ unique detailing, hand stitching, trouser waistband finishing, and intricate pocket designs. The Brother jean, Johnston Five-Pocket, and Harvey Straight Leg fulfill the core casual denim market, while the Mercer Fisherman jean and Delta Dawn styles aim for the fashion-denim sector with stylish button details and high-waist silhouettes. For Spring 2008, Stephenson will expand the line and produce about 14 styles in multiple washes and fabrics.
Top-selling Style Fall: Mercer Fisherman pant
Wholesale: $83–$109
