Comments on: Denim laundry contractor pt.2

By: Sabine

Sabine — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:01:52 +0000

Gigi – yes, that seamstress can, it’s
a: a Eurohem-take the old one off and sew it back on
b: lay the hem on sandpaper and beat it with a hammer for a while

Kathleen: Thank you so much for sharing that, and for linking me to it of course

By: Roy L. Parkin

Roy L. Parkin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:51:20 +0000

I will be using the stitch-less denim technique in one of my ranges. I design jeans for the taller woman and work on catering to all tastes within this market. Many women love the stitch-less samples I have shown them from Robert’s company. Thanks to Robert and his team I can cater to every denim taste and demand that my clients have. This makes designing easy for me and gives me more freedom as I know whatever look I want for the jeans, Robert has the skill and knowhow to achieve each desired look for me.

I have read a few comments and have to say that denim washing along with techniques to making a jean look older giving the jean a unique and worn look without the jean actually aging, is a must for my business. Rigid denim is fine ( I use this look for some clients) but my most of my clients all seem to prefer the added softness that Robert gives to the denim upon washing them. Even after many, many washes the jeans when washed with Rob keep there sharp look. Again, fashion including the denim world is about innovation, creativity and wearability.

Thank goodness for Robert!

Roy L. Parkin

By: Pop Quiz: Denim Quality pt. 2

Pop Quiz: Denim Quality pt. 2 — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:17:04 +0000

[...] to the denim pop quiz last week. I did mention it in the denim laundry contractor posts (pt one, pt two) but not everyone may have seen it. For the record, the darker denim is Japanese. The contractor I [...]

By: Anita

Anita — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:04:39 +0000

As an alterations seamster for over 30 years, I don’t look forward to the influx of stitchless clothing. It’s hard enough to explain to customers what can and cannot be altered successfully. Now I’ll have to tell them their clothes don’t have seams that can be duplicated or altered! Recreating the distressed look on hems has been such fun, as has repairing the constant holes that occur in stonewashed jeans. People say they pay too much for these items to toss them! Go figure!

By: Claudine

Claudine — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:36:21 +0000

This series is fascinating. Thanks for taking the trouble to post it.

By: Milena

Milena — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:04:43 +0000

The stitchless heat-welded jeans are totally hot. Hope more people start making those.

By: 3KillerBs

3KillerBs — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:49:06 +0000

A month or so ago I stumped a sales clerk asking for a denim skirt that “Doesn’t look like it was dragged behind a truck.” Lo and behold — there actually was one. A beautiful, brand-new denim skirt so blue I’m still not 100% sure if its blue or black.

If people must wear out brand new clothes before wearing them, would it be more environmentally friendly to hitch the things to the back of a pickup (I suppose there’s no reason not to use a hybrid SUV), and drag the things around the parking lot for a while?

By: Pam ~Off The Cuff ~

Pam ~Off The Cuff ~ — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:43:49 +0000

With all the chemicals, high-heat, wash and dry, etc, etc, stuff that goes into making the artfully distressed jeans my 20-ish step-daughters wear all the time….it makes it all the more amusing that these girls insist that I take their jeans quite wet out of the washer and hang them to drip-dry! These kids live in fear and horror (no exaggeration) that a household dryer set on delicate will damage their already beat-to-hell jeans…how amusing

(Please don’t tell them that I sneak those wet jeans into the dryer on low until just damp, then hang them to “drip dry” magically in half the time…they think I am some sort of “super-laundress”, LOL! shhhh….)

By: Renee

Renee — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:05:27 +0000

Responding to the comment that Kathleen makes about being surprised that denim doesn’t cost more; I worked in denim for a few seasons as part of my product development responsibilities at one company. That part of the line was among the lowest in profit margin. Certainly in part due to costing and lower volume (in the 1000’s rather than 10,000’s and 100,000’s), but also due to the merchant’s price point, which was dictated by the market. The team viewed the pieces as the means to get the line into a specific type of urban retailer that seemingly wouldn’t take the sales staff seriously without denim SKUs.

By: Camille

Camille — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:14:34 +0000

Kathleen,
I remain impressed at the level of thoroughness you go into your reports. I’ve designed for many denim based collections (many urban men’s labels), and even with that, the ever evolving development of denim makes mastering the category illusive. (There is no resting on ones laurels.)

The stitch-less denim styling technique I saw in a European line (the brand escapes me now) early in this year for the brand’s spring offerings. The difference from what you referenced here, was that the gluing technique was colorized and purposely exposed around the edges of seams. It was an interesting affect, and one in which I didn’t think I would want to see become imitated by too many other labels. However as seen here, the effect has more broad appeal for different brand applications. Very wearable look.

Years ago I was able to visit the design base of G-Star in Amsterdam. I was there for research for a private label line to be done for JCP through Perry Ellis. I got to see the behind the scenes operations of their denim process. I was impressed with how organized and clean there huge warehouse of internal workings were. They seemed to be very efficiently put together as an organization.

Denim as a brand category and market niche, is a really interesting historically and inspiring fabrication to work in, even with all the challenges to work around and with, such as ‘green’ concerns and then simply finding newness even if subtle.

The whole thing of; ‘what makes denim premium and if Japanese denim is superior’, etc., is so variable and such a matter of its actual end use, and if the designer label’s taste sustains interest for their customer’s taste preferences. With anything product category I am involved with, I concern myself with fit, functionality as it relates to aesthetics.

I have worked with Japanese denim, usually selvedge defined, but those looms are usually 30″w and consumption comes into play and becomes one factor in its ‘premium’ pricing. Often times it was used in its rigid/raw state, and shrinkage had to be considered in the pattern. The weight could very from heavy 14oz, or 12oz sometimes even lighter. The natural breakdown wear would develop into something quite beautiful and personalized to the wearer’s body. I love denim. I am regularly developing concepts of different ways of thinking about apparel use of denim beyond jean detailing affects. I think denim yarns and effects are as exciting as working in yarns of sweater knits for the same feeling of starting from scratch and working and manipulating from raw material states.