The third generation of denim by Denham The Jeanmaker will arrive in stores next April 25, but the company’s retail partners have yet to see the collection. Rivet got an exclusive preview of the new line at the brand’s headquarters in Amsterdam on Friday.
Coined Helix, the new range of men’s and women’s jeans constructed with Candiani stretch performance denim, is distinguished by lines that cut across from the outside of the leg to the front. The new construction, which Founder and Designer Jason Denham likened to the illusion lines Stella McCartney often uses in her dress collections, create a slimming effect on skinny styles and keys into consumers’ demand for activewear-inspired bottoms.
The Helix collection consists of modern cuts including skinny, slim and trouser cut for men, and women’s super skinny and girlfriend fits.
Denham and his team have been working on the line for the last year. Finished product currently sits in company’s warehouse and will be shipped after its commercial team and retail partners view the line in Milan on Monday and Tuesday.
In more ways than one, Denham said consumer demand is making the denim market produce in a new way. “There will always be the 5-pocket jean, but its time to push things forward,” he added.
Helix is the first collection the brand is launching with a “see now, buy now” marketing and selling strategy. The new plan, Denham said, is a direct response to a myriad of challenges—from shifting seasons to social media’s influence—the fashion industry is coming to grips with.
In February, Burberry shook up the traditional fashion calendar by leaning into consumers’ demand for fast fashion and announcing that it will present two annual shows with items that will be available to purchase immediately in store and online after the catwalk show. Similarly, women’s fashion label Alice + Olivia presented a “shoppable” runway show on Thursday for its Spring ’16 capsule collection geared toward Coachella revelers.
Denham expects to see more of this new approach to “fast fashion” in the future. “For [Helix], we’ll test it, but going forward we think we’ll do more of this,” he said.