Gabriella Meyer of upstart custom upcycled brand Denimcratic and denim royalty Marta Goldschmied came together in 2017 to create the thought-provoking capsule collection “We Wear the Pants.” The young duo founded the collection to address issues of gender inequality and hostile work environments, in response to recent cultural and political events as well as the struggles that have plagued both designers at different times in their respective careers.

The collection, which is a partnership with denim mill Isko, trim company Metalbottoni and finishing technology specialist Tonello, features denim with laser-etched newspaper clips about the #MeToo movement.

After all, denim has always been a fabric of a revolution. As Meyer told Rivet, “We are just using the fabric of denim to continue a conversation that unfortunately has been too predominant in the news. This issue goes beyond denim, beyond the fashion industry even. It’s a worldwide issue women have to face day in and day out. The goal for this capsule collaboration is to use denim as our blank canvas and tell a real story about what is going on with women today.”

The bespoke nature of the capsule represents what Meyer loves about denim right now. “I think we are seeing the democratization of the blue jean. People want the personal, customized look to their jeans, whether that be a custom fit or additive details. The consumer likes to know that they can communicate with the designer to help achieve a vision that is unique to them,” she said.

In addition to aesthetics, Meyer wants shoppers to be thoughtful about how their denim is made. “I think it is important for every consumer to do their homework and know where the jeans are coming from and how they are being produced,” she said. “We are becoming increasingly more conscious of issues that relate to things like pollution and labor exploitation, but sometimes we forget about the pitfalls of a low-cost supply chain when we are shopping for ourselves.”

On that same note, both designers are passionate about moving toward greater transparency. “Not only does it give those hardworking people the recognition they deserve, but this type of transparency and dialogue with your customer shows the steps and initiatives that companies are making to reduce our carbon footprint,” Meyer said.