Denim has conquered the world and it all kicked off when cowboys started digging for gold.
Denim got its name from the French town Serge de Nimes, where it was invented sometime in the 16th century. But denim didn’t take off until it hit the Wild West. Mr Strauss introduced his infamous 501s to America during the California Gold Rush and blue jeans became an overnight sensation.
Other fabrics have been around for thousands of years, yet in its comparatively short history, denim has become the most iconic material on the market.
This sturdy fabric became the main garb for the working man. Blue jeans were made of tough stuff, just like the men who wore them. As its popularity grew, denim become symbolic of the toil and strength it took to carve out America’s new frontier.
When Westerns hit the silver screen, denim was immortalised. The trend found its way overseas with the American soldiers who wore their blue jeans out and about whenever they were off duty.
Back then, jeans were mostly made for men. Levi Strauss made the first pair of Lady Levi’s in 1934 but it was only acceptable to wear them on dude ranches and holidays, never in public.
In the 1950s, denim’s persona shifted from renegade cowboy to teenage rebels and rock stars. Actors like James Dean and musicians such as Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley created so much controversy that wearing denim developed a bad boy image. It was even banned from some schools and functions.
Then the 60s hit and opened up a Pandora’s Box of fashion. Remember blue jean flares and colourful embroidered denim? While this relaxed look loosened its bad boy image, some authorities still tried to strike it from the dress code at concerts, protests and rallies.
Denim went designer in the 80s. Since then, our love of denim has had its ups and downs but has never strayed far from the fashion arena. Each time sales dip, designers find new inspiration and innovation to breathe fresh life into our jeans.
One market analysis found that 3 pairs of jeans were sold every second in Britain, generating more than £1.5 billion in 2007. This study forecasted that the figure would increase to at least £2.1 billion by the end of 2012.
Denim has come a long way from that first pair of Levi 501s. It has survived economic declines, wars and decades of fashion trends. It’s even gone technical with different processes to wash and distress the fabric so we can choose any style or shade of jean we want. It’s still a favourite for the catwalks and probably hangs in most of our wardrobes regardless of age or wealth.
Why does the world love denim? It boils down to comfort. We eat comfort foods, watch comfort telly and hang out with comfort friends, but there’s nothing like slipping on a favourite pair of jeans to drop you straight into the comfort zone. Whether they fit like a glove or bag in all the right places, our favourite jeans are as nostalgic as they are cosy.
