Designer X Denim: The New Frontier
Jean-Paul Gaultier X Levi's, photo courtesy of L'Officiel Hommes/Denimology.com
Designer X Denim line. You enter the names. Designer collaborations have become the status quo in the world of fast fashion. Think Rodarte and Alexander McQueen for Target and Comme des Garcons, Jimmy Choo and Karl Lagerfeld for HM. Norma Kamali has an ongoing partnership with Wal-Mart and Alexander Wang and Stella McCartney recently designed for The Gap. And now, the denim world is shaping up to be the next evolution for designer collaborations.
With high-priced premium denim on the outs at retail, the allure of a high fashion designer can bring the much needed “It” status back to a brand. A jean that sold at $350 a few years ago is a little lack luster in the face of a challenging economy. Enter Lanvin for Acne Studios. When designer Alber Elbaz collaborated with Acne just a few seasons ago, it was like bringing a breath of fresh air to the everyday “working man's” staple. Classic chic French sophistication merged with denim fabrication and design. Albeit the price points were not as easily within reach at $730 for trousers and $890 for a dress, but designers began to see denim in a new light. Denim was not only suitable for the average Joe or trendy rock n’ roll fashionista, but could also be transformed into a high fashion look.
Other designers were quick to join the denim gold rush. Hussein Chalayan collaborated with J Brand on a line of form fitting designer jeans and Jean-Paul Gaultier just launched a men’s line with Levi’s. Vivienne Westwood is set to launch a capsule collection with Lee for Fall 2010 at a consumer-friendly price tag of $85 to $180. Not to mention denim was all over the runways for Spring 2010. Think Herve Leger’s denim-clad models in distressed bandage dresses, Ralph Lauren's "Great Recession"-inspired denim chic and DG’s menswear collection with worn-in and embellished denim jeans and jackets. Giorgio Armani’s is now producing denim jeans in Los Angeles for his lower-priced Emporio Armani collection. And for Fall 2010, John Galliano launched a street-wise new men’s line called Galliano which offers plenty of denim jeans with a designer price tag of $225 to $550.
Will the trend continue? I think it's just getting started. One thing is certain, denim is a fabric that continues to reinvent itself. From high to low price points and baggy boyfriend styles to super skinny silhouettes – denim is a staple in our closet. And in a fashion world that has come down to earth with the crashing economy, everyday wear is a new horizon. Designers from around the world are just beginning to tap into the ethos of casual chic, and designer denim just may be the next frontier.
Here are a few images from recent denim-infused designer collections and collaborations.
Jean-Paul Gaultier X Levi's, photo courtesy of L'Officiel Hommes/Denimology.com
J Brand/Hussein Chalayan "Jegging," photo courtesy of J Brand
Vivienne Westwood, Fall 2010, photo courtesy of Denimology.com
Lanvin for Acne collection, photo courtesy of acnestudios.com
