Denim Digest: Personalise Your Denim

A key look for the Create & Decorate trend is personalisation. Whether it's your name, a patch from your travels, or an embroidered embellishment, it's time to get out there and make your denim your own. Get creative, as anything goes when it comes to adorning your denim. To help get you started we've picked out a few of our favourite bespoke customisation services that are available at the moment.

First up and fresh off the presses is the newly launched, The Denim Girls Project from Mih, the likes of which have never been as accessible and available online in the denim market. The collection works in a similar way to NikeId where you select your base item and then choose from a selection of customisation options. This might be adding some patches, or one of my favourites the collar rope stitch and tassle details on the Stockholm jacket. A collection of seven garments are currently available for customisation including the Stockholm jacket, Mimi jeans and loose fit shirt. Customisation options available include adding patches, embroidery, hem and waistband cutting.  If you have specific denim dreams, you can fill out the online submission box and your request will go straight to HQ where they will work to try make your dreams a reality. Cutting is free, and from there prices start at $15 for additional customisations. If you fancy having some more conrtol, you can buy a patch pack to adorn your favourite denim from the comfort of your own home.  Here at The Denim Eye we are very excited to try out this new tool and get customising!

Check out mih-jeans.com for all the details, and get customising!

If you prefer to pop in store and watch as your denim comes to life, then we suggest you head to your nearest Levi Tailor Shop. A selection of Levi's shops offer a tailor shop where you can do a whole host of customising to your denim. Add your name with monogramming and embroidery, some patches, or collectable pins. You could get some rips repaired, or have some help to rip some new ones. Maybe you want to get cutting and turn those old jeans to shorts, jackets to vests - the options are endless! It is definitely worth popping into the store to breathe a new lease of life into those old denims at the back of your wardrobe. 

Another favourite is the monogramming service from Madewell. This American brand offers personalisation in three easy steps - choose your product from their online denim bar and what you want embroidered (up to 9 letters), call them up to order, and then wait for your denim to arrive at your door. It's as easy as that. They have 18 colour options available, which will be chain stitched in cursive font, and free if you are a member of their loyalty scheme. But not to fret if you're not, as this personal touch can be yours for an additional $10. They even offer the service on a selection of their leather goods. Talk about the perfect present for any denim lover out there!

If you are looking to personalise some of your preowned items, then embroidery studio Hand & Lock could be the perfect solution for you. They want you to "take that piece you like and turn it into a piece you love". Offering a whole host of options from machine stitch monograms and embroidered motifs to a range of ready made patches, they have a wealth of expertise in the customisation field. If you have bigger ideas then you can talk these through with their design staff to help find the perfect solution for your visions. Basic patches and machine monograms start from £5/letter, with more elaborate endeavours priced per design. For more details visit their website or you could stop by their pop up customisation station at Topshop's Oxford St flagship store. 

Trend Alert: Create & Decorate

Push the boundaries. Get creative. Use your imagination.

Conceptual and innovative. New ways with denim. Designer collaborations bring unusual results. Experiment and create - inside out, quilted, decorated, lasered, printed, foil printed, embroidered, personalised, customised .... anything goes.  Let indigo rule in designer driven mixed pieces. New shapes, new fabrications as wild becomes mainstream. De-construct and re-construct. Excite and inspire!

©TheDenimEye2016

Over the next month we will delve into the multitude of ways our denim can be decorated. We will look at functional decoration including creative repairing and pretty patching. Patching meets embroidery with folk art inspiration and naive figurative embroidery. We will show you all the ways you can go about personalising your denim, whether it be embroidered names, appliqué or hand painting. Vintage inspiration is abound, and we will be taking a look at decorative branding, labels, buttons and rivets. It is an exciting month of creative inspiration and influences that we can't wait to share with you. We continue our exploration with our next Denim Muse Monday, where you can soak up some inspiration from some of our favourite denim lovers. 

©TheDenimEye2016

Denim Digest: Washing your Jeans

There are many myths and legends out there regarding when you should wash your jeans, how often or if you should wash them at all. Today we hope to dis-spell some of these urban legends and pass on some top tips from a denim expert.

Let's start with the initial wash and how to achieve the perfect shrink to fit size.

1. You first need to first consider the make up of your jeans, as this will determine the rate at which they will shrink.  In general, you will lose around 1-3 inches in length and up to an inch from the waist. ( Don't worry if this all sounds like gibberish to you, pop into your nearest specialist denim shop and ask their advice. )

2. The next step is to soak them and this can be done in three different ways. First for the denim purists we have the bath tub method. The idea behind this is that the jeans will shrink and mould to your body as you sit in the bath, but careful to watch the length as this can sometimes have a mind of its own when it comes to shrinking, and you don't want to end up with a new pair of shorts! If you don't feel like sitting in the bath then the alternative options are to turn the jeans inside out and let them soak in the bath in lukewarm water for about 30 minutes, swish the jeans about to help the cotton absorb the water and allow the shrinkage to happen. You could also put them in a warm machine wash with no soap, which proves quite effective. However try to avoid the spin cycle and tumble drying as these can leave vertical creases in a new pair. For best results we recommend doing at least two soaks.

3. Leave to air-dry and hey presto you've got the perfect shrink to fit jeans.

So the next question is how often should I wash my jeans as I begin to wear them?

 Well the answer to this depends on how quickly and how much you want your jeans to fade. Wash your jeans more often for a less dramatic contrast in the creases and to achieve a vintage fade. And vice versa wash less often for higher contrast at creases and points of wear. Some like to wash their jeans regularly, some not at all - some who prefer to never to wash their jeans and allow them to wear down naturally over time, and then there are those who yearn for a soft and faded pair of baggies - that is the joy of denim it has so many options and variables depending on your personal choice and and style. 

 It is really a matter of choice. However, I would recommend minimal washing in order to save water.  In a future trend month we will share just how much indigo denim jeans are helping to destroy the planet by using too much water, chemicals, energy.

 If you do wish to wash then always turn the jeans inside out.  Always wash on a short cold cycle with NO DETERGENT as this will always degrade the colour even if the powder claims to be non-bio, there is always a brightening enzyme in there.

Do not tumble dry, just line dry of dry flat after smoothing down on a flat surface with your hand. If however, you want them naturally creased just twist the water out and allow to dry still twisted. If you do this every time you wash them the indigo will wear away from the creases - voila! A naturally aged pair of jeans.

Denim is a wonderful fabric and is ideal for extensive wear and all the grit you can throw at them. Jeans love to live with you, ageing and getting better with time and wear. So next time you're about to wash your jeans, take a minute, and try to remember some of these tips so you can get the best from your denim .

Brand Spotlight : Companion Denim

We first came across Companion Denim at Denim by PV in Barcelona in March, and were compelled by their simple and elegant craftsmanship. Companion Denim born in Barcelona is a brand “faithful to the values of quality, durability, honesty, respect for the environment, and to the aesthetics of clean and minimal subtlety”.

Born from a rich denim heritage, its founder grew up surrounded by denim in his father’s industrial denim laundry. He watched over the years as thousands of pairs of jeans were washed in the laundry. Learning as he gained experience in the many different laundry processes. With this rich knowledge of laundry it is funny that it is with raw denim where he has found his passion and interest lies. While supporting the philosophy of “less washing as possible”, he finds the true beauty of denim comes over time as they are worn down naturally.

Each pair of jeans is designed and handcrafted with the utmost attention to detail. Crafted with the finest selvedge denim coming from a selection of qualities from the best mills, mostly from Japan, USA and Italy.

The jeans are pieced together with a selection of the best sewing machines, using a mix of both modern and classic vintage machines to make beautiful and highly durable stitching. Some of those machines are even 100 years old!

Along with their carefully curated range, Companion Denim also offer a custom made and repair service. 

DENIM DIGEST: My Favourite London Denim Stores

BAD DENIM

If you are in East London, you have to make sure you head to Bad Denim, on Lower Clapton Road, E5. The owner of this denim hub, Erin McQuinn previously worked in the denim industry for years before turning her hand and denim expertise to opening this unique denim haven. In her own words, "I wanted to open a denim den that exclusively focused on the fabric - offering only jeans, shirts and overalls....I wanted to use my denim-brand background to only stock the best cuts and fabric, every single pair here is special."  Bad Denim stocks the big premium labels as well as vintage styles sourced by McQuinn herself.  The shop has a personal, and customer-centred approach, simplifying the task of finding your new denim favourites. And with Mcquinn's experience and knowledge you couldn't find a better person to help find that perfect new fit you've been searching for. Why not pop by on Sunday and afterwards you can head just down the road to the ever growing Chastworth Road Market. 

RIVET AND HIDE

Originally starting out as an online store in 2012, Rivet and Hide have been present on our streets with their first stand alone store on Windmill Street in Central London since 2014. Their focus is on the best denim mills of Japan, who offer fabrics of incredible beauty and depth of character. Their shop provides customers with clothing, footwear and accessories all under one roof. They pride themselves on providing products of premium quality and craftsmanship. They curate a range of authentic high grade shirting, jackets, boots, wallets to complement the denim. Inspiration is taken from vintage america and modern interpretations of classic style, each piece pays assiduous attention to construction details from the 40s and 50s. Garments built to last and age with distinction. With regular trips to meet and visit brand owners, and mills they can trace the stitch of everything they offer, while providing an ever growing wealth of expertise in a personalised, unhurried and frienly manner. 

SON OF A STAG

 Since opening their first store in heart of East London in 2003, Son of a Stag have been building a reputation as one of the UK’s top destinations for Japanese and American selvage denim and workwear inspired brands. They pride themselves on an expansive wealth of knowledge and supreme customer service, helping their clients with all their denim needs. 

Along with an expansive list of brands including Big John Buzz, Samurai Jeans and Studio D'artisan to name a few, they also offer in store shortening and hemming free of charge for all purchases. But fear not as this can be availed of for a small fee on jeans bought elsewhere too. All stitching is done on a Union Special 43200G chain stitch machine, which is very rare and the original machine used for Levi's.  And with that they also provide an expert knowledge on how best to wash and wear in your new jeans.

If you are looking for somewhere to quench your thirst for selvedge denim and provide you with all the knowledge to go along with it, we couldn't recommend a store more highly. So definitely make sure to drop by 9 Dray Walk just off Brick Lane and say hi!

DENIM DIGEST: Denim gets a mechanical makeover

Who needs a favourite pair of jeans when you can slip into this denim hybrid from the geniuses at Volkswagen.  We do!!    2016 saw the launch of the special edition Denim Beetle with just 2000 models made to salute the classic Jeans bug from the 1970s in pure white and stone washed blue.

Seat pockets styled to look like jeans pockets are just the beginning for this car, as the special edition is packed to the roof with denim related details. And speaking of roofs, lets take a look at this one - a soft top roof crafted from a dark blue textured fabric to resemble our beloved denim. Light blue denim covers the seats with accents in a indigo hued leatherette and white piping. While stitching details throughout the interiors are reminiscent of our favourite jeans threads.   Seat pockets have been made to look like jeans pockets even down to the red stitch details, rivets and even a little red "Beetle" tag influence courtesy of Levi.  

Here at The Denim Eye we are loving this little Denim Beetle, let's just hope we can still get our hands on one!!

Denim Digest: cool hunter, raw denim - my picks from the shops

In this feature, each month we will showcase some of the best bits we have found in the shops over the last couple of weeks. Today we are looking at raw blue denim and have picked out three of our favourite items in the shops now; a Levi's Made and Crafted overshirt, a pair of mens Nudie Thin Finns and a women's Mih oversized 2x1 crisp vintage shirt.

First up is a shirt from Made and Crafted , the premium brand from the Levi family. A collection skilfully constructed from the finest materials.  Paying the highest attention to every detail from fabric selection and weaving to the buttons and other sundries, they aim to create tomorrow's classics using today's best materials and techniques. This shirt comes from a collection inspired by the California desert with influences of contrasting light, and textures.  Indigo-dipped threads combine with black in the weft compactly woven create an uneven raw texture and a finely patterned aesthetic harking back to the soft sanded textures of the Californian desert.  The shirt has been made to feel contemporary with a tailored finish and discrete pockets, while the straight shape and details adhere to the traditional look of a workwear overshirt. They have achieved a lightweight feel with the Japanese chambray while still maintaing a classic raw denim look - perfect for the Cool Hunter trend.  

Next up we have Thin Finn Dry Twill jeans from Nudie Jeans. Nudie are top of their game when it comes to ethical denim that never compromises on style and these jeans are no exception. Carefully sourced from organic cotton with a stylish and contemporary raw dry finish.  We wholeheartedly agree with the brs recommendation to not wash these jeans for 6 months or more. This will allow them to develop an individual, worn in look, fading and creasing uniquely to every wearer. See our previous post on the best ways to maintain and wear down your raw rigid jeans. The signature orange stitching makes for a beautiful contrast against the raw dry denim, with the 3x1  twill prominently showing. As these are unwashed they are likely to shrink more than usual when washed so be mindful of this. The slim fit and tapered narrow leg is flattering and harks back to the 1950s carrot shaped silhouettes albeit a slimmed down version. Overall these are a great pair of jeans for every wardrobe. 

Mih

Finally we have a long, slim-fitted shirt, made in 8oz 2x1 vintage Japanese indigo with a crisp dark wash from Mih Jeans. Exposed placket and bone buttons, sit alongside contrasting tobacco and biscuit stitching to give an authentic aesthetic. The shirt is designed to look almost washed retaining a deep rich aesthetic.  Why should raw denim always be colourlessly dark? 

Denim Muse Monthly - Alexa Chung

This month while we hang on the "edge of cool"  who better than the eternally cool Alexa Chung to feature as our first denim muse. A bonafide style icon of her generation, Alexa Chung has been influencing a generation with her distinctive and classic style choices.  

Alexa is a denim lover like us here at The Denim Eye, and joins us in our belief that denim is the cornerstone of any wardrobe - from wardrobe staple skinnys to vintage cut offs and effortsley cool pinafores we've seen her in it all. Her flare and influence for style, saw her move into design with SS15 hailing the launch of her first denim collection in collaboration with L.A. based denim brand, AG Jeans. Chung created a collection of cool collection of 21 pieces, creating in her words her "dream denim wardrobe". 

Salutations to this British denim style icon.