Text: Alexandra Petsetakis
Denim brands today do not just specialize in the ideal boot -cut or the perfect rip at the knee for authentication. These super corporations have branches in all types of fields: perfumes, concerts, charities and the list goes on. So now some of the top jeans brands are getting creative to stay ahead by teaming up with some of the most brilliant designers in the business. Following are the most current denim collaborations with the likes of Levi’s and Lee on the denim team and Jean Paul Gaultier and Vivienne Westwood on the designer team, jeans have never been more innovative.
Lee – Vivienne Westwood
Lee, was one of the first denim brands to inspire the denim overalls and the zipper-fly in the 1920s. Lee has a knack for re-discovering vintage denim designs, such as baseball jackets, denim shirts and bell-bottom jeans and making them contemporary. Lee denim has now stepped out of its comfort zone and created a capsule collection with the Queen of punk, Dame Vivienne Westwood and her Anglomania line. The collaboration took
inspiration from the Westwood punk and pirate archives from the ’70s and ’80s. A collection of skinny jeans, micro shorts and bondage cuts dipped in metallic gold’s and coppers.
Levi’s – Jean Paul Gaultier
The godfather of denim, Levi’s, a brand that can date back to the 1850’s but continues to remain relevant today. The label remains timeless, not only with its 501’s in all shades and washes but also the need for the brand to branch-out and entice its fans by collaborating with designers and artists. In 2009 Levi’s lent its stample denims to graffiti artist KAWS, who stamped his graphic teeth pattern on jacket and on the back pockets of Levi’s trousers. Currently the brand joined forces with the infamous Jean Paul Gaultier on its most recent s/s 2010 collection. Bondage and strips of rigid dark denim and red piping details were Gaultier’s recipe for re-interpreting the Levi’s ‘Trucker’ jacket and men’s original denims for a contemporary version of the
American dream.
Acne – Lanvin
Then there is Acne that has always designed minimalist Swedish garments that also applies to their staple denims. Last fall head designer of Lanvin, Alber Elbaz who is an adamant fan of the Scandinavian label applied his obsession for luxurious details to Acne jeans. A collection of dark denim dresses, double-breasted blazers, puff sleeves and Elbaz’s signature bowtie (but in jean) produced a slightly expensive line but timeless in style.
Topshop – Jonathan Saunders
When you have spent your last pennies and are looking for something fashionable and of-the-moment look not further than the high street and the super-store Topshop. As it is well known the store has a section of capsule collections that fashion designers create throughout the seasons. The most recent being Jonathan Saunders and a five-piece collection denim mixed with panels of devore, one of the hit designs is a three-tone denim pencil skirt and matching strapless basque.
