Originally offered exclusively at Prada's 3 Corso Venezia store in Milan, Italy, the Made in Japan denim recently smuggled itself into the U.S. and can now be found at the Soho Prada store in NYC for a limited time. The trousers, available in four fabrics and seven different washes, are created by artisans with a series of unique techniques.
Each detail of the manufacturing is meticulously monitored: from the hand-dying of the fabric, which is attained by immersing the fibers into natural indigo pigment thirty times; to the wash, which is achieved by following the folds of the trousers while they are being worn. The aim is to reproduce the look of "real" wear.
Due to the fact that these procedures are extremely sophisticated and particularly crafted, they all take place in the same region of Japan. However, according to the desired characteristics for a particular style, a specific location that offers the best quality workmanship within this region is selected.
The finalized garments are so personalized that their interiors feature printed symbols that are recognizable and unique, including hand-painted Kanji characters and the graphic signs that indicate their region of provenance. Inverting the trousers, one can find the printed history of the garment, from the treatment of the fabric and the type of workmanship to the names of those who created it and the region of provenance. The reinterpretation of the Prada triangle, made by an expert in Japanese calligoraphy and printed on the trousers' interior using a marble stamp, becomes the special logo that sanctions the collaboration between Prada and Japan.
To get your hands on a pair of these exclusive trousers, visit the Soho Prada store in NYC at 575 Broadway, 212-334-8888. But hurry -- supplies are incredibly limited and they won't be available much longer.
Men's underwear sales are up! The economy is saved! [The Cut]
Jason Preston's (Marc Jacob's ex-bf) tweet to Courtney Love on Friday: "I miss u love!!! I feel this is gunna b a VERY bad weekend 4me rumor around town is he's getting married this weekend. :(" [CityFile]
Lindsay Lohan was robbed over the weekend. She's "upset, but okay." [NYDN]
Paper Mag is 25! They're celebrating with five different covers featuring a slew of really cool people you should probably know if you are, ya konw, really cool. [Coco Perez]
Jesus Luiz's Pepe jeans campaign leaked, much to everyone's dismay. [Coco Perez]
Denim as sans-jeans wear has been attempted with too many failures -- so much so that over time, 'denim' became practically synonymous with 'pants'. And when designer after designer risks career over pride at a dastardly futile attempt with denim as upper body wear, we tend to groan in agony. But, after Robert Geller's Levi lookbook, our groans blossomed into excitement instigated intelligible exclamations of joy. If the parka (above middle) wasn't paired with the other denim wear photos, would you believe me when I told you it was made from denim? Each detail, from the shape and size of the collar -- the starched elevated collar on the denim vest above evolves the look from trailer to chic -- to the color and cut composes this wearable and modernized denim collection. But of course what you pair each collection with makes the largest difference.
Be sure to be on the lookout for the Robert Geller collection next month in Bloomingdales.
More details of Anna Wintour's fun, fabulous, festive, hey-why-don't-we-all-shop-to-forget-our-woes-even-though-we're-broke Fashion Night Out. [The Cut]
File this under "Um, sure.." Alanis Morisette and Woody Harrelson are collaborating on a line of eco-friendly jeans called Reco Jeans. [Nylon]
Looking for a new office? Marc Ecko's is up for sale. [Cityfile]
Good or bad? Iraqi plastic surgeons are now doing more Botox injections and nose jobs than skin grafts and amputations. [Allure]
New Yorkers are making a big stink about the racey Calvin Klein Jeans ad on Houston and Lafayette. It's basically a still shot taken from their too-hot-for-TV ad campaign shot by Steven Meisel. And yet, the billboard has been there for a while Klein is a bone fide purveyor of racy ads. The big names at Calvin Klein couldn't be happier. Menswear designer Italo Zucchelli agrees, "I think it is a fantastic campaign. That is what Calvin Klein Jeans is supposed to be. Everyone needs to be scandalized and screaming. That is what we want." Head of womanswear Francisco Costa says -- most likely with a hair toss -- “Please! It’s so, like, old news. Don’t you think we should be a little ashamed for even having to discuss? I mean, it’s great for us. So if you want to talk about it, let’s talk about it. But there was no intention of making that controversial. Just make beautiful ads. And they’re beautiful ads. And I think, you know, we’re such a forward society, but we tend to be a little prudish sometimes. It’s New York City! It’s the 21st century! Honey, we have to move on! We have to move on.” And even if a few sticks in the mud aren't moving on, they'd better get used to the hot-spot on Houston, because CK just released the F/W underwear ad that will replace the current threesome in a couple of months:
With Memorial Day passed, Levi's is breaking out the white for fashion and progress alike. In New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago stores all of the mannequins are not only wearing white clothing, but also have the White Knots ribbon attached to their jeans symbolizing solidarity with the same-sex marriage movement. [NYT]
You know we've really hit the dregs of the recession when rap superstars can't afford their mega bling. [WSJ]
Rather than pen an autobiography, Kate Moss is writing a "fictional" story about "a young female model's life as she is plucked from obscurity and thrust into the A-list limelight." Rocker/writer Louise Brooks will help, naturally. [Sun UK]
Bruce Webber shot Rafael Nadal for Vogue and, thankfully, his fine, fine work is online. [Vogue.com]
Dolce & Gabbana are being accused again of tax evasion. [The Cut] via [WWD]
Apparently too tight jeans can cause a nerve condition called meralgia paresthetica. Hipsters beware. [NYDN]
Simon Doonan's TV show, Beautiful People, that mimics his life growing up in an English suburb debuted on Logo last night. [Racked]
1969 denim has been sparse in Gap stores, but that's about to change. Earlier this week Gap, under the creative direction of Patrick Robinson, relaunched their premium denim line, debuting with the pictured pair of raw, subtly detailed jeans. Denim, as of late, has reverted back to classics, with no crazy buttons or pockets but sometimes it's hard to find a good looking pair with a great cut for a good price. Gap, thankfully, has achieves the trifecta by offering the medium-weight wash in contemporary cuts with only a simple white trim for just $60.
A bit of an Earnest Sewn primer: back in 2004 Earnest Sewn partnered with Pastis restaurant in New York’s Meatpacking district, giving the wait staff raw rigid jeans to wear for between 6 and 12 months, and then taking the jeans back to analyze the wear patterns and distress. This led to the creation of the popular “Pastis” wash style. Then, later this year the Customer Vintage Exchange program arose when an editor sent Earnest Sewn a picture of Model Natasha V wearing ES Harlan 18 jeans from one of the first production runs, which then went on to inspire the new "Chloe" jean for Fall 2009.
Now, you too can be the muse for a new breed of Earnest Sewn jeans. They're extending their Vintage Exchange program into an ongoing, season by season initiative, asking customers to return their well worn ES jeans so that they can be reviewed and analyzed by the ES design team for inspiration from the distress marks. The idea is, of course, to further enhance the vintage aesthetic the label has strived to be known for.
What would normally seem out of the question for a well loved pair of jeans is made more palpable as stores will be offering a new pair in exchange to be broken in all over again. What's more, should the style your jeans makes it into the next season they'll be named after you. Yes, you too, could be a part of Earnest Sewn history.
American Apparel almost filed Chapter 11 bakruptcy today. But they got an $80 million dollar layout. Pretty colors and provocative ads will only take you so far. [WWD] via [The Cut]
Interview is getting another redesign. It involves a new logo and Zac Efron. [WWD]
Is Heard on the Runway in trouble? Rumors are mounting that the WSJ's beloved fashion blog is close to folding. [The Cut]
After the Earnest Sewn co-founder exit, is the planned L.A. boutique being scrapped? All signs point to yes. [Blackburn and Sweetzer]
Fashion label lollie pops? Kind of fabulous. [High Snobiety]
Roberto Cavalli is launching his own line of pet wear. Items include a satin-trimmed bathrobe, silk printed shorts, a shearling jacket and -- get this -- a leather passport holder. [The Cut]
Also -- a Roberto Cavalli dildo? Will he ever stop?! [Racked]
Founders of Earnest Sewn, Scott Morrison and Eleanor Ylvisaker, are leaving the label. They will remain shareholders in the company. No specific reason has been given for their departure. [Paper]
Despite the economy, Marc Jacobs will be expanding. He's just opened two stores in Bahrain, one in São Paolo, and has stores opening in London, Chicago, Hong Kong and Seoul. [WWD]
Julien's will auction off a slew of Michael Jackson's belongings, including clothes. Let's hope proceeds go towards his questionable upcoming tour. [The Cut]
The producer of Man Men's son is ridiculously fashionable for an 8 year old. [GQ]
Gay men love fashion, and fashion loves gay men. Is it something in our jeans? Celebrating this long tradition, Truman Says exists to offer advice, tips, and the occasional catty observation on celebrity style coups and faux pas.
Recent Comments