Trend Direction : RIPPING AND SHREDDING

May 5, 2016 Jill Lawrence

Close up - Ripping and shredding

Worn out and worn in. Warp threads are cut to partially reveal the body beneath. Stained and tinted to increase the aspect of age. Although the areas of ripping and shredding may seem random they are in fact carefully selected to work with the shape of the jean and the attitude of the brand or wearer.

Threadbare - frayed use of clean cotton or old tinted weft - hand stitching, age worn burnt edges. Double cloth is torn to reveal the reverse side or to create its own pattern.

HOW TO: Take a razor blade, cut through the warp threads on the surface. Wash to fluff the cotton and cut off unwanted threads. This should leave weft threads visible but no gaping hole. If a gaping hole is required then cut throughout the weft threads as well. You may have to machine stitch around the sedges of a complete hole to prevent further tearing in the weft direction.

TREND: Ripping and Shredding

May 2, 2016 Jill Lawrence

Hand-made, hand-destroyed, torn and shredded. Make every item unique. Show the torn edges, and the body beneath. Layered pigmented textures, nubby yarns and drawn threads create added texture. Deconstructed frayed jeans combined with a frayed artisan scarf edge is a feature - a scarf for the legs. No longer is ripping and shredding regarded as ugly or tatty, it is now an artistic creative take on the worn-in appeal of the jean. The DIY jean makes a personal lasting statement in a world of fast "off the shelf" fashion.

Close Up: PURIST - Plain Weaves

April 29, 2016 Jill Lawrence

Old 2x2 plain weave in very dark indigo makes the white weft sing.

The clean weave contrasts with the aged destruction.

Classic plain weave seen on a dark denim oversized shirt. Return to button down collar - a key Purist look.

Close Up: PURIST - Japanese Influences

April 28, 2016 Jill Lawrence

Original Japanese denim from Naked & Famous Denim in a chunky twill with just a dry "wash" to break the starch making it initially more comfortable whilst retaining the raw and Purist look.

Wrapped judo dress with massive patch pockets in dark saturated indigo displays a Japanese character.

Close Up: Purist - Japanese Denim

April 25, 2016 Jill Lawrence

Niche Japanese denim brand Kioto uses raw rigid denim for you to personally wear in. Do not wash for as long as possible - even up to a year. The denim will wear in naturally with the starch dissipating over time and the indigo wearing off in the shape of your body. Making the jeans perfectly yours.

CLOSE UP: Purist - Levi Shirt

April 21, 2016 Jill Lawrence

1x1 plain weave raw rigid Levi orange tab denim shirt from well over three decades ago. The shape is neat and fitted; the collar is long and sharp with orange overstitching in line with the "tab".

BEHIND THE SCENES: Making denim fabric.

April 19, 2016 Jill Lawrence

From delivering the cotton bales to dispatching the finished denim fabric.

This charming drawing by Danny Southern late of Burlington Denim in North Carolina depicts the whole process of making the denim fabric. Although the equipment has been modernised and some added the processes remain the same today as they were in the late 1800's. Over the coming weeks we will take you though the journey of Indigo denim from cotton through original indigo dyeing to the finish jean.

Cotton fields ripe for picking

Raw cotton bales are stored outside during the dry months in Pakistan. Which is one of the biggest manufacturing hubs for the supply of denim and jeans to the USA and Europe.

The following charming images depict the flow of the cotton from the opening process through to drawing.

Local construction workers working on site at a Pakistan denim factory.

CLOSE UP: Purist - Concertina Crush

April 14, 2016 Jill Lawrence

Raw rigid denim with chunky textured yarns has been resinated and creased to create a semi permanent crush effect. Perfect for an authentic styled jacket.