Category: Levi Strauss
Blue Gold: American Jeans
| February 17, 2012 | Filled under Calvin Klein Jeans, DENIM HISTORY, Diesel, EDITORIAL, Levi Strauss, Love Therapy, Mr. Adriano Goldschmied, Mr. Renzo Rosso, Replay, VIDEOS, Wrangler |
Denim addict’s addiction has been globally verified. I was invited to the first cut and screening of Blue Gold: American Jeans on the big screen! New York has been good to me… meeting Executive Producer Mark Romeo when I arrived in town I got an introduction to the film and met a little more of my indigo family. *Go Giants! “Blue jeans are as American as Bruce Springsteen or “Footloose,” they’re a part of everyday life whether we realize it or not.” - Christian D. Bruun.
Christian D. Bruun is an international producer / director, digital artist, and curator with more than fifteen years of professional experience in Europe, The United States, and Asia; a true pioneer in the field of digital film making, digital media and architectural design. The documentary celebrates the cultural impact of American Blue jeans through a journey on the open highway and across Atlantic. Behind the designers and brands that cultivated an iconic Americana grit culture and through the artists and rock stars that created an iconic wearable art that transforms with every wear. The Blue Gold movie is a laid back film that tracks the journey from rebels and delinquents to take you into the cut throat world of vintage jeans hunters. Discoveries of dead rodents, original Cone Mills cover-all’s, forgotten trunks from the 1900’s and into exclusive Japanese denim actions will introduce you to the slightest details that make a pair of jeans sell for $25,000.
“Denim is my constant and I think in many ways it is it’s a language that needs no translation. We live our lives in our jeans and with that most of our memories happened or are going to happen in a pair of blue jeans! I think they deserve a little credit.” –The Butt Therapist
Levi Strauss… Adriano Goldschmied and Calvin Klein are three pioneers that have made a significant contribution to this indigo addiction. The denim industry is nothing new and nothing to be ignored. “Bruun’s documentary film brings the obsession over jeans to the front of the line. Whether you’re a biker, a fashionista or some punk rocker who doesn’t have enough holes in their jeans. Bruun takes us inside the countries of Japan, Egypt, Turkey, Italy, Scandinavia as well and shows us their fixation over jeans too.” –IMM
Independent Media Magazine caught up with American jeans writer and director Christian D. Bruun.
“IMM: What made you want to do a movie on jeans?
Christian D. Bruun: At first it was the fact that people are paying, and will pay, tens of thousands of dollars for vintage jeans. In my quest to find out why it is the case, I came to understand the impact jeans have had all over the world and how much the value of jeans stems from its American roots and from the ideals for which the country stood. Fabricated or real, jeans resonated everywhere and perhaps in some way helped change the world. Its impact is undeniable.
IMM: Are jeans a big part of your life?
CDB: They are now! I have always worn jeans to some extent, but at the core of the film I discovered that the emotional value and cultural imagery that jeans embody has always been a part of my life; all of our lives.
IMM: What was it like filming across the world?
CDB: It has been an incredible journey meeting people from around the world, who all come together with enormous passion for a process and a tradition, and at the same time, a willingness to continuously reinvent and perfect that tradition. Jeans truly has connected the world.
IMM: Are there any differences to the way the cultures respond to blue jeans?
CDB: Almost all cultures — despite political, geographical, or religious differences— embrace and wear jeans. And even though jeans were originally American workwear, every culture has made them their own. The ideas and values that jeans stand for are universal.
IMM: Do you think jeans are overpriced, are they worth it?
CDB: It depends on where and how they are made. The price can be justified if you are paying for the time and thought put into the craftsmanship and materials used to make a pair of jeans. Sometimes you pay to feel better or sexier and sometimes you just want a pair of good old jeans. I think it is becoming more and more important that you know and understand where your jeans come from and from that make an informed decision about the money you want to spend.”
For something to consume your world I feel it’s important to know where your jeans have come from, who inspired the lifestyle, the industry innovators who paved our cultural journey and know how your jeans are made today. Watch the ” target=”_blank”>Blue Gold movie Trailer and stick around for the film playing in Theaters some time soon…TBA. For single article of clothing to once be banned in theaters, restaurants, and schools to now be accepted as a wardrobe staple, allowed to be worn at work and considered everyday living… salute, To what denim has given us!
Who loves denim enough to make a film:
Original Screen play written by Christian D. Bruun
Written by John H. Marks, Theis Jessen and Christian D. Bruun
Produced by: Christian D. Bruun, Theis Jessen, and Mark Romeo
Executive Producers: Christine Detlefsen and Mark Romeo
Co-Producer: Jason Watkins
Associate Producer: Rafael Avigdor
Assistant to the Producers: Tara W. Cole
Thank you!
All my LOVE,
The Butt Therapist
“Revolutionary and conservative, sexy and romantic, elegant and casual, chic and sporty. No other fabric has been better at interpreting all our contradictions.” -Elio Fiorucci
DENIM-Made in the USA
| October 18, 2011 | Filled under 7 for all Mankind, A Tailored Suit, Agave Denim, Agave Nectar, Cone Denim, DENIM HISTORY, EDITORIAL, GAP Jeans, Hudson Jeans, Levi Strauss, Loomstate, Lucky, MENS STYLE TOPICS, Paul Smith, Real Men Real Style, Roy Denim, Self Edge, True Religion |
PART I: pub. 10/17/2011 #denim
The denim market is one of the most aggressive growing apparel markets in history that has directly affected our social normality; running parallel to that of computer electronics. Cotton prices have risen to an all time high; causing the denim industry to adjust. Demands for consumer price stability and margin maintenance have become two of the most important business aspects that are causing all businesses to refine their strategies during our questionable economic times. Thus, sending many manufactured goods overseas to be produced in order to keep companies in business and consumers happy with the prices they are used to. Denim has been coined an “American thing” however, are we loosing that “nickname” as more denim is being produced outside the USA. I would hope that the USA will retain its position as the largest denim consumer market (2010) and become the denim production Mecca of the world. Real Men Real Style and The Butt Therapist have come together for a little denim education and highlight a few denim addicted Americans designers that are making an industry statement by communicating their personal integrity through their business operations by producing denim products that are Made in the USA. “You can support your country one jean at a time.”
From the beginning of Levi Strauss in 1869, the work man’s functional uniform, to casual Friday’s, and denim debuting on catwalks across the globe. Denim has gone beyond the borders and the social benches to create global social unity or as I like to refer as “the blue universal language”. When it comes down to spending your dollar wisely more people are making it a priority to find out where the products they buy are produced and an increased number of consumers are taking the company’s mission into consideration when deciding who to support before they hand their hard-earned dollar over the counter. The level of competition with-in various Jeanswear segments are at war with each other as they have been required to rethink their business and operation strategies to become most effective and streamline their manufacturing and distribution processes. The top three challenges companies are trying to prioritize are:
- Achieving Consumer Price Stability
- Maintaining the Brand’s Heritage
- Increasing Market Growth
Today a single product can visit as many as 8 countries before achieving product completion and being sale ready. To help you figure out where your dollar is going and decide where it will be going for future purchases we’ve broken it down to US denim mills, denim manufacturers, independent denim designers, and even a few retail stores that focus on selling only Made in USA products. It all starts with a piece of cotton and 25,000 farmer-owners that are committed to continually improving the denim manufacturing process.
American Cotton Growers (ACG) has a total capacity of 38 million yards of denim produced annually which is approximately 26 million pair of jeans; making them a major supplier of denim fabric to the jeans market for 35 years. Plains Cotton Cooperative Association is a farmer–owned,cotton marketing, warehousing, denim manufacturing and jean production cooperative headquartered in Lubbock, Texas. All from Littlefield, TX SafeDenim is “Sustainable, American and Friendly to the Environment”. Owned and operated by The American Cotton Growers—or ACG—and its farmer-owners are focused on developing high quality denim fabrics for our customers with minimal impact on the environment. American cotton literally created from field to fabric. For them it’s a multi-generational commitment to ensure our children and grandchildren can farm the land. We’re protecting our ecosystems for these future generations by remaining good stewards of the land, air and water. We value doing the right thing, in the right place, in the right way, at the right time, and it requires the use of new technologies.” -SafeDenim/ACG
Denim North America is the most modern textile plant in North America and committed to their manufacturing process to be 100%.
Made in the USA. They are developing and distributing innovative fabric to premium denim companies for global distribution. The newest innovation is the release of EverFlex (6/1/2011); a denim fabric that may be found as the next pair of jeans you buy. What this means is that any jean that has the patented EverFlex label is Made in the USA; even if the denim company chooses to constructs it’s denim outside the USA you can find comfort knowing that the fibers and production of the fabric are 100% USA Made. The EverFlex fabric is projected to hit the premium denim market that may include brands such as: True Religion, Lucky, 7 for all Mankind, Hudson and possibly Gap. So, EverFlex… is a NEW patented stretch denim fabric that retains its shape better than any other cotton based denim blend on the market to date. This means no more bagging out, stretching out, break in period or droopy butts.
White Oak Denim Mill (Greensboro, NC.) has been manufacturing denim since 1905 making jeans for a plethora of denim brands that put quality first. Cone Denim offers a denim companies to create collections that are 100% USA Made. Denim Brands like Loomstate, True Religion, Agave, and Paul Smith’s Red Ear are just a few examples.
“I walked in-between a web of 350 strands of cotton dancing in the air across a 100 year old wood floor that united each organized chaotic piece of thread into a rope the width of a silver dollar that was slapped around a ball warping machine. It looked like a giant friendship bracelet being made. Tchaikovsky would have been inspired for a melody and the orchestra would follow the rhythm of the 30 original shuttle looms that weave in unison and send an unduplicitable vibration through your bones; I could have stood there for an eternity. Possibly one of my most beautiful experiences confirming that I am a Denim Dork!”-The Butt Therapist
There are employees that have worked at White Oak for over 30 years. The stories they have of the process changes that have happened over the years through technology advancements and industry innovation with blends, dye, finishing treatments, and trends have warped through the decades makes for its own story. Making denim as an art itself; a magnificent creative process from a single cotton fiber to your favorite jeans on your toosh. Right-hand twill, Left, Flame woven, blends, slubs, and weaving patterns. Even with over 100 years of producing some of the best quality denim in the world even they are feeling the pinch with the economic changes that have forced more apparel brands to find manufacturing resources overseas in order to keep the COGS down as consumers are becoming less likely to pay premium prices for denim made in the USA. Every business that produces a product must retain a certain amount of margin to self-adjust and absorb changing production costs: cotton, fuel, shipping, labor, innovation, and quite frankly to keep them in business while the economy stabilizes and sales projections can begin to be more accurate. “We feel it comes down to education and passion” Lawson Nikol is a passionate denim head that is interested in a Blue Revolution. Co-founder Nikol of All American Clothing Company (based in Arcanum, OH) discovered on a retail floor that the company he proudly worked for by distributing USA Made Denim had been outsourced. This marked the beginning of him launching his own company to attempt to keep some denim Made in the USA to “support the heritage of jeans, American families and the American Dream.”- AAC. All American Clothing Company is the only listed denim manufacturer listed as Made in the USA Certified. Each jean is given a “Certificate of Authenticity” that allows you to trace the exact location your jeans were produced. You can buy All American Clothing collections online and in selected retail posts from California to New York City. The Nickol family prides itself on producing products patrons can be proud to wear. The family and the employees believe “The USA label will always stay on our jeans because you and we understand the importance of USA Made. When you buy a pair of All American Jeans our label also means; Thank you from us, our employees and the people in our country who still have good jobs due to folks like you. Thank you from all of us.” -Nikol
Handcrafted Denim from an artist to a collector; the process is worth the penny…
Roy Slaper is a single man handcrafting each pair of jeans Roy Denim available to buy only at Self Edge for around $275.00. Beginning in his apartment teaching himself how to sew; he now has one of the most impressive sewing machine collections and jeans in the USA! Roy feels that jean making is a lost art. It is not often enough that we think about our clothing as someone else’s work and trying to measure how much “work” went into the design and construction of our favorite shirt let alone our favorite pair of jeans. Roy experimented with many garments but made a business by designing and creating custom jeans. He learned as he went, taught himself a craft and refined it to just one thing; Denim, available in 2 styles, made perfectly by hand in Oakland, CA. He uses only the highest grade denim fabric that is he believes in and has worked with Cone Denim on several occasions to produce his ideal denim fabric.I wrote a 31 page article about Denim; Made in the USA however, overwhelming you with information is not my goal. Consider this PARTI of the Denim Saga.
All my denim love,
The Butt Therapist
———————————–Don’t forget to check out Antonio with Real Men Real Style
This one if for the guys
| July 26, 2011 | Filled under 7 for all Mankind, AG Jeans, Agave Denim, Cheap Monday, Diesel, EDITORIAL, Levi Strauss, Mavi Jeans, MENS STYLE TOPICS, Real Men Real Style, RRL Denim, Supima Cotton, True Religion, Wrangler, Zegna Jeans |
|
Men let’s talk about your jeans. This is relevant to you if any of the following statements are true:
a) You have not bought new jeans since 1994
b) You are wearing jeans that a 21 year old wears to Vegas
c) They are carpenter pants from GAP, LEE, WRANGLER, or Levi
d) You’ve never worn jeans
e) You are sportin’ the exact same jeans your father is wearing today
Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.- Mark Twain
…………………………………………..it is time to go shopping. I am here to help!
Listen to the PodCast Thursday 7/27/2011. Antonio from Real Men Real Style invited my for a denim chat for professional men over 30 to run through the denim options you have. You will be going shopping so, here are a few notes to PRINT and TAKE with you. Just hand them to the sales associate and say “I need new jeans” what ever size you think you are- try on one size smaller FIRST; most likely all of your clothing in your closet is a size too large.
*Drop 10 lbs instantly by having your shirts tailored: add darts .
*Increase your height by hemming your denim right!
Casual Denim: Your jeans should be 1/8 of an inch above the ground IN CASUAL SHOES!
Professional Denim: Your jeans should be 3/4 -1 inch above the ground IN DRESS SHOES.
Okay, so you just celebrated your 30th birthday…cool- you can still get away with your True Religion, Affliction, MEK and Rock & Republic jeans but you are going to need an understated masculine jean because you are growing up and might find yourself wanting to be taken seriously. If you are over 30 then you need to exude a certain confidence by embracing the world of denim properly.
Let you mouth do all the talking; your jeans should not scream too young or too old.
______________________________
The denim fits like this: The brand – style name (they are listed in order from lowest waisted to highest rise)
Relaxed Fit: 7 for all Mankind-Relaxed boot (8.5 inch rise), Diesel-Larkee Relaxed (10 inch rise) , AG Jeans-Hero relaxed straight (10.25 inch rise), Agave-Waterman (11 inch rise), Mavi-Matt (11 inch rise)
Full Thigh Straight Leg: 7FAM-Austin (8), AG Jeans- Protege (9.75) Diesel- Larkee (10), Mavi-Zach (10.5), Agave-Spitfire (11), Ermengeilo Zegna- Classic (12)
Classic Fit: 7FAM-The Standard (8.5), Diesel-Viker (10),Mavi-Martin (10), AG Jeans-Matchbox (10), Agave-The Gringo (10.5),
Slim: Diesel-Darron (10), , Agave-The Pragmatist (10), AG Jeans-The Geffen (10), 7FAM-Aiden (10), Mavi-Jake (10.5), Diesel- The Safado (10.5)
______________________________
*SLIM is NOT a skinny tight fitting jean. This is a fit guide by a woman for the best fitting masculine jeans based on your body type across $80.00-$225.00.
If you have not spent more than $50.00 on a pair of jeans and not comfortable with premium denim prices please wait for a sale; you can snag a killer deal. Great jeans are worth the price and worth the wait.
All it takes are a few simple outfits; and there’s one secret – The Simpler The Better. -Cary Grant
* If you are wearing True Religion, Affliction, or MEK and can’t imagine wearing a straight leg jean; I will compromise with you and get the Diesel Zathan; one day you will graduate to the The Viker.
*If you are more rugged and want an Americana jean: RRL, Jean Shop, Levi (go to an actual Levi Strauss Store).
Need help with decoding your body type
Questions?- Listen our POD CAST tomorrow with Antonio Centeno from Real Men Real Style & A Tailored Suit then “Ask me” and stick around The Butt Therapist for more.
Keep on bustin’ it,
The Butt Therapist
How Can Jeans Cost $300?
| July 8, 2011 | Filled under Barney's New York, Calvin Klein Jeans, Cone Denim, Gloria Vanderbilt, IndiDenim, JBrand, Levi Strauss, Made to Measure Jeans, Make Your Own Jeans, True Religion |
|
I work in an industry that only 1% of the population is addicted to… but we will always spend $300.00 on a pair of jeans that turn us on!
Check out this article Written By: Christina Binkley at christina.binkley@wsj.com
Shoppers Shell Out More for Designer Denim, Lured by Signature Details, ‘Made in America
It is an enduring mystery to anyone reared on $50 Levi’s: How can a pair of jeans cost as much as the Phantom, the new look from True Religion that will be priced as high as $375?
The answer can be found here in Los Angeles, in the global capital of so-called premium denim—one of the few areas of fashion that remains largely American-made. An industrial zone here near the city’s center is home to True Religion, J Brand, Seven For All Mankind and other pricey denim brands that have elevated what was once workman’s togs to a luxury industry all its own. This is a rarefied segment of the denim business. Americans bought $13.8 billion of men’s and women’s jeans in the year ended April 30, according to market-research firm NPD Group. But only about 1% of jeans sold in the U.S. over that year cost more than $50.
Graphic: Fashion Math
See how the production costs add up for a pair of True Religion jeans.
The prices of “premium” jeans—industry jargon for luxury-priced denim—appear to be edging slightly upward after a downturn following the financial crisis. Right now, J Brand’s Maria women’s jeans can sell for $226. Men’s Aidan jeans from Seven For All Mankind cost $225. Prices for Gucci jeans range from $495 to $665. Premium jeans are made in the U.S., which is a big part of their allure. Gloria Vanderbilt and Calvin Klein introduced the world to so-called designer jeans decades ago, and what began as a relatively small trend endured. Jeans are worn everywhere from the office to the opera these days. But there is a less-than-subtle caste system for denim: A pair of “Sevens,” as some call jeans from Seven For All Mankind, conveys a statement about one’s fashion savoir faire (and income) that less expensive brands don’t. It costs about $50 to make a pair of Super T jeans, True Religion’s best-selling style with oversized white stitching, estimates founder, chairman and chief executive, Jeff Lubell. The wholesale price is $152, he says, and the average retail price is $335. Of course, plenty of these jeans sell at substantially less than full price. F. Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas.
True Religion’s top-selling jeans, the Super T, cost about $50 to make and sell wholesale to retailers for $152 a pair. The average price in stores is $335. They feature white stitching on the back pocket and around the waistband.
Hunting for The Perfect Pair of Jeans can be an arduous challenge. With a few clicks, WSJ reporter Alina Dizik tries online made-to-measure jean shopping via sites IndiDenim, Thiumbler and MakeYourOwnJeans.
The Phantom was first shown to retailers in January, and True Religion is building its fall marketing campaign around the jean. With less prominent logos and detailing, it resonates with the current antilogo trend in fashion, but its details are designed to appeal to real “jeaners,” as Mr. Lubell refers to premium-denim lovers. It has a small American flag hand-embroidered on the waistband. A subtle logo on the pocket is like a ghost, or phantom, of the brassy original logo. ”The Phantom is my Ferrari 458 Italia,” says Mr. Lubell. “It’s the newest, hottest baby of mine.” As with all fashion, a big part of the price of luxury denim is in the multiple profit margins taken at each level of production. Most any piece of clothing contains parts and services from potentially dozens of providers: from fabric and button makers, to designers and seamstresses, and wholesalers and sales agents. After all this, designers and retailers say the typical retail markup on all fashion items, including jeans, ranges from 2.2 to 2.6 times cost.
The hang tag costs 18 cents.
In the luxury business, those mark-ups cover huge marketing budgets (someone has to pay for giant billboards and ads in fashion magazines) as well as the costs of running stores, headquarters, shipping, and other overhead. The profit margins on premium jeans can be substantial. Mr. Geliebter says his gross profit margin for private-label jeans, which he makes for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Sears Holdings Corp. and other retailers, are less than 20%, whereas the margins for his own premium lines are 40%-to-50%.
It seemed a few years ago that the high end of the denim business was doomed, with the financial crisis killing many consumers’ appetites for expensive jeans. Premium-denim makers cut back on styling and details, and cut prices in many cases to under $200. Manufacturers hit a price floor at around $150, mainly because premium denim is manufactured primarily in the U.S., which can’t compete China and other nations with low labor costs. Beyond the rise, or waistband height, and leg silhouette—bootleg, skinny, or cigarette—the details that make jeans brands stand out are often on the pockets. J Brand’s pockets are unadorned, while True Religion is known for its highly stylized pockets with swirly embroidery. Jeans brands also try to stand out from season to season by using patented materials, such as rivets and stitching, and by using special washes and distressing methods. These might involve dying, pressing, and even using sandpaper and drills on the raw jeans. These methods can be particularly expensive when done in the U.S., where factories must meet more stringent environmental and labor standards than in many low-cost nations. Most premium jeans’ cotton denim fabric comes from the primary maker of high-end denim fabric used in the U.S. and Europe: Greensboro, N.C.-based Cone Denim, a unit of the International Textile Group. There, in a plant known as White Oak, shuttle looms dating from the 1950s weave the denim fabric that winds up in many premium denim brands, including J Brand. The looms are older, narrower, and slower than highly efficient modern looms, but they weave fabric with slight irregularities known as slubs, which impart a texture and character that modern looms lack. Delores Sides, a spokeswoman for Cone Denim, says most of the weavers employed there have at least 20 years of experience, and one woman has being working at the mill for 55 years. They are employed full time and are paid benefits such as health care, she says.
True Religion’s Super T jeans
F. Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas
The Cone fabrics are shipped by truck or train to Los Angeles, where denim brands cut and sew them to their designs. Each part and bit of labor may ultimately be marked up five times or more before the pants reach retail stores. So the $23.30 spent for a Los Angeles-based seamstress to sew a pair of Super Ts will cost the consumer more than $100 at full price. Other notable costs include roughly $10 worth of fabric (1.8 yards a pair, on average), 44 cents for pocket linings, 37 cents for a zipper, and $2 for the embroidery on a back pocket. Washes for coloring and fading may be done in Los Angeles or, sometimes, at mills in Mexico.
To be produced domestically, jeans have to be priced at “$200-plus,” says Shelda Hartwell-Hale, a vice president at Directives West, an L.A.-based division of fashion consulting firm Doneger Group. Jeans makers say that manufacturing in the U.S., in addition to appealing to consumers, allows them to move quickly. When Jeff Rudes, founder and chief executive of J Brand, saw designer Jil Sander’s electric colors in New York’s Jeffrey boutique earlier this year, he asked his designers to come up with a hot pink and an emerald green color for jeans. Five days later, the first, small run of jeans were shipping into Barneys New York. Mr. Rudes says it typically takes his company six to eight weeks to make a pair of jeans in the U.S., compared with three to six months in China. True Religion is one of the industry’s giants, making 4 million units of clothing a year. He estimates that his $300 jeans could sell for $40 if he manufactured in China. Still, Mr. Lubell has caved when it comes to jackets, the cutting and styling of which is more complex than pants. He makes them in Mexico, where costs are higher than in Asia, but less than in the U.S. The jackets retail for about $375. “If I made them here,” he says, “they would be about $600.”
Levi’s Ex-Girlfriend Jean
| June 22, 2011 | Filled under Levi Strauss |
|
Levi’s Ex-Girlfriend Jean
“for the guy who wants to remember his ex-girlfriend and for the guy who wants to have an ex-girlfriend”- Haripin As a single female I am not interested in dating…”this guy” have skinny jeans for men been taken too far if you are not part of a hairband?
An update of the five-pocket classic with an allover super-snug fit that’s as skinny as it gets.
Overview
- Super skinny fit
- Snug from hip to hem
- Stretch for added comfort
- Classic five-pocket styling
- 75% Cotton, 24% Polyester, 1% Elastane – Imported
Fit & Sizing
- Super Skinny Fit
- Sits below waist, 10″ rise
- Skinny, 13 1/4″ leg opening
- Measurements are based on a size 32W x 32L
“It worked! She automatically thought I was gay!” -Ex-Girlfriend Jean Customer
Top Women’s Jean Brands
| May 18, 2011 | Filled under GAP Jeans, Gloria Vanderbilt, Lee, Levi Strauss, RETAILERS, RRL Denim |
|
As of May 19, 2011 via WWD
1. Levi Strauss
2. American Eagle Outfitters
3.Old Navy
4. Gloria Vanderbilt
5. Lee
6. Gap
7. Aeropostale
8. Express
9. Polo/Ralph Lauren
10. Faded Glory (Wal-Mart)
via WWD
Vintage Art
| May 18, 2011 | Filled under Levi Strauss, My UPDATES |
|
Saturday night, I hung out with an Original Levi Denim Jacket… I am a DENIM DORK for recognizing this piece of art
The Butt Therapist
Cotton Crunch
| May 18, 2011 | Filled under 4whatitsworth, Abercrombie & Fitch, EDITORIAL, GAP Jeans, Levi Strauss, RETAILERS, Rewash Jeans, Silver Jeans, Tyte Jeans, Urban Outfitters |
|
When jeggins first made their debut on retail floors my first thought was “how much is cotton these days?” It is not that I thought they were horrible, i like jeggings but when you work with women every day and you have a size 2 complaining about how skinny they look or their little cupcake peeking over their waistband I was wondering how in the world am I going to get women in these tight little jeans?
My job got a bit more intense confidence building went on overdrive. Now 3 years later there is less and less cotton in denim and I am missing my 100% cotton, destroyed and intricate washed denim that I cherish so much. Will consumers still be able to replace those favorite pair of jeans that are becoming more and more coveted these days?
There was a WWD article by Kristi Ellis and Aurthur Friedman that caught my attention on the rising cost of cotton and how the economy is changing the denim world and fashion for that matter.
“We face an unpredictable cotton market and unpredictable consumer response to rising prices,” John Anderson, CEO Levi Strauss.
“The higher cost of cotton could negativly impact margins and working capital as we work through 2011″ Blake jorgensen, CFO Levi Strauss.
Alden Halpern, CEO of 4Whatitsworlth, a jounior denim company with jeans retailing from $24.00 to $34.00. (I know cheap right…my jeans average $189.00) anticipated the spike in cotton prices a year ago and stockpiled 4 million yards of fabric at lower prices with his factories inChina. Halpen said the strategy paid off and allowed the company to maintain prices, but he will still have to face higher fabric costs in the last three months of the year because his stockpiled denim SOLD OUT! Who is 4 whatitsworth?…Tyte Jeans & Rewash Jeans are few of the lines they make. So, how did 4Whatitsworth end up with a 40% increase? They cut their space in LA from 120,000 sq ft to 16,00, cut their workforce by 20%, moved 11 people to aNEW office in China and sold their stockpiled denim while restructuring their company.
More denim companies are relying on new blends and adding more polyester, spandex, rayon, spandex, lyocell, and looking for more cotton alternatives.
Split denim says that fabric accounts for 30% of the cost of a garment and Makers of True originals has seen 10%-15% increases in the “first cost” of a finished garment. Many companies like Split are trying to keep their retail amount consistent and absorb the increases themselves. however, consumers should be aware that companies can only hold off the increases so long and they must be prepared for apparel prices across the board to increase as the cost of goods sold is dramatically increasing.
So, after the cost of cotton is increased so is the labor… where are your jeans made now? “Bangladesh, Pakistan, Cambodia and Vietnam are gaining denim business…All major brands are moving to Bangladesh, in particular; if you can’t get cotton cheap, you try to get labor and washing cheaper and sometimes with out a duty on it” Michael Silver, Presidentof Silver Jeans Co.
Denimatrix, a division of the Plains Cooperative association produces jeans for Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap, Guess and Urban Outfitters. Carlos Arias, President, says “in the past companies could go to three or four places to find core fabrics but today, it is a “produce-to-order” business, which means longer lead times.”
So, the industry is changing and before you- the consumer complain about where your jeans are made or the extra $5.00 bucks you are shelling out for that piece of indigo; understand that $5.00 is a deal and support the companies you truly want to support rather than buying just to buy and spending 15 minutes complaining about them being made in China. They are made in China because the consumer won’t gladly pay a premium to be made in the USA! The power lies with in the consumer to choose “what to buy” and “how much” you are willing to use your dollar to say “I care”?
Pocket Placement
| April 22, 2011 | Filled under Levi Strauss, PHOTO GALLERY |
|
It is always about the pocket placement… it all starts with the toosh!
Levi’s Ad circa 1990’s
To be green or NOT?
| April 3, 2011 | Filled under DENIM TECHNOLOGY, Levi Strauss, Nike |
|
Erika, one of the sweetest gals I have ever met. Last year I worked with Portland Fashion Week building their Buyer Relations program and wholesale market venue. This gal has a killer work ethic and an opinion that counts; one of the best interns I have ever had near me. Keep your eye on her as the person that gets to develop her will be a lucky player! Now back to the question…. to be GREEN or NOT? Green is so important but with the rising cost of goods and raw materials the ability to be green is rare. Consumers say they care but still hesitate to shed the extra dollar.
Link: To be green or NOT?
On March 1, 2011, the apparel industry took a huge step in the green direction with the unveiling of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, a new initiative that not only helps companies track their level of sustainability with the use of eco indexes, but holds them accountable for their efficiency as well. Being a part of the green revolution has been trendy for a while, but it is high time for it to become a mainstay, don’t you think?
Collaborating members include big shot apparel and footwear companies (i.e. H&M, Levi Strauss & Co., and Nike), government programs (i.e. Environmental Defense Fund), and other NGOs. According to the SAC’s website, responsibilities of these leading members are:
-Agreement to engage upstream suppliers to collect data in support of the index at a time to be set by the Coalition.
-Commitment to work toward attaining a specified, minimal level of best practices within the member company’s supply chain.
-Agreement to share best practice information in support of Coalition initiatives to improve supply chain performance industry-wide.
-For affiliated organizations (NGOs or trade associations), a clear statement showing alignment with Coalition Vision, Purpose and Shared BeliefsWe have always prided ourselves in knowing that “green was the new black” here at Portland Fashion Week, so we can’t help but show our support and get the ball rolling. We’ll be sure to keep all of you eco-fashionistas updated, so don’t forget to visit Portland Fashion Weekly soon!
Visit the Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s website to see a full list of founding members:www.apparelcoalition.org.
-Erika Christiansen
