Create & Decorate : Denim Tattooing

Why is tattooing largely the domaine of denim heads?  Both women and men who love tattoos also love denim.  Both denim and tattooing represent an anti establishment attitude, against the rules, being creative, doing your thing.  Denim provides the blank canvas for personal creativity be it ripping and shredding, ripping repairing, heavy destruction or pure art denim.  Just as the body is the blank canvas for artistic, political or personal expression.

Forearms for mens tattoos enable them to visibly combine their denim with their tattoos.  Tattoos  are mostly indigo thereby being a perfect combo with their special denims.

Tattoos are depictions of symbols, creatures, mythology and political or emotional statements. Likewise are decorations on denim. Denim messages and stories are as effective as body tattoos.

From mythical creatures to delicate ethnic patterns in indigo both on fabric and on skin, such  decoration has become a hugely important part of our fashion scene.  Even if those that sport it do not regard them selves as being "in fashion".  Such decoration and embellishment renders our clothing so much more exciting and personal.  

Brand Spotlight: Caine London // Rialto Jean Project

Caine London

Matt Allchin and  Hayley Caine are the brains behind Caine London a cult denim brand born in Peckham London.  Their brand is "irreverent and fun" , they create "wearable works of art to be worn until they die".  Their ready to wear collections strive to be witty and effortless, with styles appealing to both genders. Each collection sees them source vintage denim jackets that they emblazon with unique hand-painted works of art. Influences for the designs deriving from sources such as canals of south London, 90s grunge, and everyone's favourite place, the traditional English Pub. 

Their AW16 collection, aptly taking its name from the London Cockney slang for pub, "Rub-A-Dub", celebrates the traditional signs you would see hanging above your favourite local boozer. 

Here at The Denim Eye we can't wait to see what's coming from for the next season from this brand.

For more check out cainelondon.com

©www.cainelondon.com

Rialto Jeans Project - Denim doing good.

RJP is an ethical philanthropic denim brand which specialises in hand painted one off vintage items.

Everything is handcrafted in the studio of ERIN FENIGER in South Street Seaport NYC with the brand counting A -list actors , musicians and super models among its growing customer base. Erin Feniger sources rare American made vintage and personally hand paints every piece herself thereby creating unique pieces with a current fashion awareness.

Rialto Jeans Project  benefits children through art with proceeds of the brand going to support innovative therapy programmes in the Children's Hospital LA and New York Presbyterian Hospital from the RJP charitable platform of "DENIM DOING GOOD".

Follow the brand progress at rialtojeanproject.com

All images ©rialtojeanproject.com

Create & Decorate: Jeans as a Canvas

Personalisation and creativity in jeanswear has been around since mid last century.  Then it was a craft based exercise to make the garment " something more" decorated in either embroidery or appliqué. With decoration being the key aim. Now it is much more about flamboyance and statement, hand painting, pure artistry, messages, motifs, branding - all of which are much more hard hitting than as pure decoration.

Hand painted canvas applique onto the back of a 1950's denim jacket. Make your denims more unique and personal - express yourself through your clothes.

Energie hand painted jeans. Mid Western hand painted ecru jeans - real statement denim as art.

Caine Jeanswear plus hand painted items from Denim by PV 2016. Ecru hand painted jeans the authors own.

Create & Decorate: Decorative Branding

Branding is as essential a part of the jean as is the type and shade of the denim.  Branding not only positions the products but also makes those products more (or less) desirable.   Therefore it is essential that the visual appeal of the brand is as desirable as the product.  In designing the brand image creativity is a big deal.  I must love the look of the brand as much as the content. Decorative flamboyance in branding was more evident in the early days of the jean. It is less so today.

Vintage original branding tags.  Tags were used to express a significant a meaning, to empower the brand.

Leather patches were even used to portray a message. And of course the original Levi patch signified the strength of the product - two horses trying to pull apart a pair of jeans.  This remains in use today.

Create & Decorate : Vintage Decoration

Decoration has always been a part of the clothing or fashion scene and no less than in the arena of denim over a century ago.   Embroidered and appliqué motifs have a naive simplistic charm randomly positioned across a jacket.  For it was jackets that were then mainly used as vehicles for decoration. We also see examples of vintage embellishment where the stitchery has proliferated for its own sake, the jean or jacket becoming a blank canvas for colour and pattern in overworked threads. 

Embroidered motifs and applique were and still are used to decorate and make a statement - jeanswear was the clothing sector in which such personalisation proliferated.

Decorations were mostly naive imagery - almost childlike in their simplicity but jeans were also used as a canvas for political statement.

Vintage kimonos lent inspiration to western decoration.

Mexican motifs, creative leatherwork and embroidery proliferated in the 60's and 70's. Such creative stitchery looks fresh again today in 2016.

Naive Embroidery

Placements embroideries and appliques.  Some of these are real vintage note the sequinned racing car and the falling bi-plane both from the 50's.

©TheDenimEye2016

Mexican naive embroidered images adorn an old replay mini skirt surrounding a 60's childish handworked figurine.

©TheDenimEye2016

Heavy hand embroidered Mexican wool work flowers from the  replay mini skirt. Author's own - see finds shop.

©AmericanDenim:A New Folk ARt

Childish scenic and animalia handworked decoration.  Once there was tapestry now decorating denims is the new pastime.

Speakeasy - create a statement with your denim

Printed,  applique or embroidered messages for fun or for political statement.  Jeanswear is the main clothing group that provides ready vehicles for slogans and personal messages. Here is an opportunity to be creative not only in what is said but the way in which it is said.  Forget the denim beneath, for once it is all about the superficial, the decoration and the hard hitting or sweet message.  The graphics, the colour, the embellishment and the haphazard manner in which the message is portrayed are all ways through which individuality can be expressed.

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.