Cotton Style Files

Dishing on Denim with DenimHunt

By Emily Thompson on Friday, March 22nd, 2013

A Polyvore board from DenimHunt.

We sat down with Shanna McKinnon, editor of DenimHunt.com, to talk about what’s happening in denim now, and what’s to come. We’re so pleased to report colored denim is definitely here to stay. Get her take on homespun heritage, womenswear trends creeping into menswear, and a new take on bespoke denim from the people behind Earnest Sewn.

What are some trends you’re seeing in denim for this spring/summer? Particular washes? Embellishments? Is colored denim still huge and is it crossing over into menswear, too?

Colored denim is still going strong in womenswear for Spring/Summer. Women have become so comfortable with the idea of wearing these bright color washes that it has led the way to more daring looks like prints and patterns. The sky’s the limit for women right now; bright colors, vertical stripes, Aztec prints, galaxy prints, you name it, it’s in. Traditional indigo is still a closet staple and will never go out of style, but for now it’s taking a backseat to “anything goes” color and pattern. Men are definitely taking a cue from women and colored denim is creeping slowly but surely into their wardrobes. It’s still hard to say if it will catch on beyond the tastemakers, as mainstreamers may find it hard to wear, but I think it’s a trend that has legs.

Who are some up-and-coming denim designers you’ve got your eye on?

3×1 is a denim shop I’m keeping a close eye on this year. Denim is still such a strong product and even after all of these years, there are still new denim brands popping up frequently. It’s getting harder and harder to stand out, and I often turn down new pitches simply because of the lack of uniqueness. However, 3×1 turned up with a full denim atelier in Soho. It was founded by Scott Morrison, who’s tried this idea before on a smaller scale with Earnest Sewn. What’s different about this though is that the idea is dramatically expanded. Basically, you walk in and can choose from their Ready-to-Wear collection or you can get a pair of bespoke jeans produced right there in-house. There is actually a factory of workers behind a glass wall that you can see sewing new jeans and the rest of the store is like a denim museum with glass displays. That is one heck of an idea and I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned into a tourist destination.

 3×1 founder Scott Morrison at his Soho atelier.

It seems like heritage is still going strong in denim; consumers really seem to love having a story attached to their jeans. What are some brands or designers who do this well?

Hands down, Levi’s®. You can’t get more heritage than that. What’s great about Levi’s® is they always manage to stay on trend but hold on to the essence of what they represent, which is the brand that brought blue jeans to the masses. Levi’s®, through subtle promotional programs, always manages to remind us in some way, shape, or form about denim’s roots. They also have an extensive archive in their San Francisco office that chronicles the history of denim. You will always have a story attached when you purchase a pair of Levi’s®, whether it’s personal story from a long lasting pair or from the brand’s long history.

Are you seeing denim make its way into other parts of the wardrobe? For instance, we just saw Kasil is teaming up with designer Ernest Alexander to create iPad covers and bags. Are there other ways to express one’s style with denim – beyond denim jeans?

Denim is everywhere, and with the different colorways becoming popular, you can essentially wear head to toe denim and no one would bat an eye. For example, imagine having a pair of black and white striped jeans  paired with an emerald green (Pantone’s color of the year) denim button down with a Current/Elliott “you can’t fake fashion” indigo denim satchel. No one would even realize right away with that combination that you were wearing head to toe denim. Companies like Diesel have long been making denim accessories for electronics and as long as these gadgets keep creeping into fashion, designers no matter what they produce will rush to dress them so to speak.

Do you think premium denim is showing any signs of fading?

It’s amazing to me how far denim has come in the premium market. I remember almost 10 years ago when people were waiting for the bubble to burst. But it hasn’t and it won’t. As a matter of fact, during the recession, many retailers were moving denim to the front of their stores to push their other products, because denim, particularly premium denim, was found to be recession proof. What other apparel item can claim that! Denim is also slowly creeping into high fashion ads. For example, Miu Miu almost regularly advertises with photos of their tailored denim looks for women. Denim has far transcended it’s workwear roots and with the constant innovation and growth of the industry, it’s going to be interesting to see what the next 10 years will bring.