Since its arrival on the scene as the material of choice for sailors’ uniforms in 16th century France and Italy, denim has been lauded for its durable construction and practical use. Today, more than 90 percent of Americans wear denim jeans (women own on average seven pairs) and cotton twill is as much a staple of the global wardrobe as T-shirts and sneakers.
But despite its ubiquity, denim also one of the most frequently reinvented materials in fashion history, evolving hand-in-hand with textile manufacturing techniques, and serving as the testing ground for new distressing methods including shredding, whiskering and fading. Far from the standard pair of 501s, over the years denim has been transformed into innovative shapes and styles.
In fact, so much has been done with the textile, it leaves many wondering, what’s left? Where does denim go from here? To answer that question, Carved in Blue compiled a list of exhibits, books, blogs and more that cast new light on this old-time favorite.
Read more at Carved in Blue.
This article is one of a series on Rivet from Lenzing’s Carved in Blue denim blog. From conversations with the experts behind the mills that make some of the world’s most-wanted denim to the global brands bringing novel denim made with TENCEL® and Lenzing Modal® to the market, Carved in Blue shares the stories of those whose roots run deep with denim. Visit www.carvedinblue.lenzing-fibers.com.
