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Denim diaries: Tracking the evolution of a fabric since 1870s

Unzipping the enduring appeal of a fabric that has transcended every demographic to cement its place in the world of fashion today

What would the world of fashion be without denim? In one word: utterly unfathomable. Okay, that's two. But the point is, ever since the conception and patenting of riveted jeans in the 1870s (bless you, Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss), the fashion world has never looked back. If anything, the last 145 years have only seen the beloved fabric cement its status as here-to-stay for all manner of reasons - and nostalgia probably leads the charge.
By the time I hit my teens, my trusty pair of jeans was all I'd step out in (except to school and church). The light wash, straight cut variety eventually made way for darker washes and styles - but all of them served well to affirm my tomboy inclinations at the time. I can't remember a time when my closet didn't contain denim but, in a fit of wardrobe purging the other day, I stumbled across several old pairs: the dark denim bootcuts with (debatably) tasteful gold and silver sprays down the legs (people laughed then but, today, there's no dearth of YouTube DIY tutorials demonstrating how to create your own metallic gold jeans; if anything, my sis and I were ahead of our time!); the ever-faithful indigo pieces with embellished back pockets that I'd roll up single cuff-style and that my mom threatened to hide due to over-use; the never-worn whites, clearly bought when I wasn't thinking. Why do I still have so many pairs that I don't wear and will probably never fit into again? I realise it's because I loved them all.

FOR THE LOVE OF DENIM: (from left to right) Bakoo McVeigh; Varoin Marwah; Urooj Suleiman and Sherly Angela Lopez of Ink Studio; Hind Adib
A pocketful of 'yes'es
The sentimentality associated with denim holds true for almost everyone, because in the true spirit of FRIENDS, they're always there for you (and, really, what more could you ask of a true compadre?). There's always a certain measure of fondness you can tap into when asked to reminisce about your first pair of jeans or your relationship with denim. For Dubai-based homemaker Bakoo McVeigh, the appeal has been manifold, evolving from the fabric with massive scope for DIY to shopping in the men's section for her size ("I was a bigger girl as a kid and they had the baggier styles that I preferred!") to the "super-comfy and stretchy" material that saw her through both her pregnancies. "I loved my crafts as a kid, and denim was a material that offered a great outlet for creativity," she recalls. "I'd usually get my jeans home, and take a pair of scissors to them, iron stickers on them, fray the edges, make pom poms for the edges. You can't do that with most other materials."
Then came motherhood and maternity band jeans. "It was the kind that had an elastic band to go across the belly, instead of a zip or button. Back then, only the expensive brands stocked them, but today, it's filtered down to all the high-street stores too, making them accessible to all. As a woman, that means you never have to stop wearing your jeans!"
On the contrary, if you hang on to them long enough, you may even see fashion come around full circle, bringing back dated styles or even vindicating the ones we once trashed. Remember denim on denim? Ten years ago, there may not have been a bigger no-no; today, everyone's looking for ways to rock their blue hues. Bakoo chimes in with an example of her own. "Back in the 80s and 90s, the mom jean was considered a very unfashionable and unflattering cut of jeans. It was high-waisted, loose around the legs - it had a pretty bad reputation. In the last 5-6 years though, it's become one of the most popular cuts the girls wear. I absolutely love mine, and wear them all the time."
The 36-year-old, who makes up one half of the Instagram duo Mummies Do Gloss, owns "maybe 30-35 denim pieces, including jeans" - but says that would never deter her from picking up another pair. "I wear them about five times a week on average (albeit perhaps lesser in summer), so I'm a very big fan. I can't think of anyone who'd say they don't like denim." And brands know this all too well. "Every luxury brand - whether Chanel or Dior or Hermès - will always release a denim bag collection around February in time for summer," she notes.
It's not just luxury brands that are recognising the fabric's mass appeal. Two years ago, UAE-based menswear fashion designer Varoin Marwah dedicated an entire collection to denim, showcasing the material in various forms, from casuals to jackets, even formal suits. Called 'A Denim Story', the ode proved to be one of his biggest sellouts. Evidently, the 38-year-old - who owns 40 pairs of jeans alone, at least a dozen suits and over 20 pairs of denim shirts - has good reason to pay tribute to the fabric. "It's been my playground since childhood," says the Indian expat, who once sold his favourite bicycle without telling his parents in order to buy his first quality denims. "I was 11 years old perhaps - and, back then, Levi's jeans were all the rage among the kids." They were also a bit expensive - hence, the silent sale.
Denim's timeless allure, however, means that it is still relevant decades later. "Denim is a sturdy yet comfortable fabric that goes with every season: the cotton type is extremely breathable for summers, while denim mixed with wool or other yarns is perfect for winters," explains Varoin. "Its durability means one can wear it over and over without having to wash them - in fact, the unwashed look adds to its character - plus the style quotient is unlimited with denim. I doubt any other fabric offers such a huge amount of value for money."
How we've grown
When you get down to it, denim's evolution has been staggering. What started out as a need to provide sturdier trousers for factory workers and miners across the North American West is today so widely accepted, they're worn by celebrities, CEOs and Presidents alike (in case you missed it, Barack Obama's ill-fitting mom jeans was the subject of many a scathing editorial during his tenure as POTUS). Hell, as of last month, they're officially worn by royalty too - with the new Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle opting for a classy denim dress from Carolina Herrera during a recent polo match outing with her husband.
What happened to level the playing field? The answer may be found in pop culture. Though once the uniform of cowboys and ranch workers, it quickly became associated with counterculture and rebellion, thanks in no small part to the likes of actors Marlon Brando and James Dean. Movies like The Wild One and Rebel Without A Cause made the anti-social attitude so popular among teens back then that schools - alarmed that students would perpetuate the same undesirable values - banned jeans, and Levi's had to take out ads assuring one and all that jeans were 'right for school' too.
More than the ads though, it was probably other movies like Grease that helped to swing votes in favour of popularising denim among the masses (and not just the rebels) again. Danny Zuko did espouse a bad boy front, but the fun musical offered authority figures a glimpse into what else denim could stand for: good ol' utilitarian value. By the time 90s' TV shows like 90210 and comedy-dramas like The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants reached our small and big screens, denim's rap sheet had been expunged.

YAY AND NAY: (from left to right) Meghan Markle shows us how a duchess can wear denim too; Barack Obama in one of the many pairs of ill-fitting jeans he got heat for wearing, during his tenure as POTUS
Beyond 'leg-wear'
It wasn't only in reel-time that jeans were making their mark either. Their constant transformations in fashion alone are a study in themselves. Ripped or flared, boyfriend or relaxed tapered, sailor or fisherman, culotte or skinny, vintage acid wash or selvedge, priced for the privileged or for pennies - it would go beyond the scope of these pages to explore in depth the many avatars of our favourite leg-wear. However, what the world has come to understand is that jeans are now "only a segment of denim", as Varoin says. "It's 2018. People need to break out of the herd mentality and follow their individual styles," he says. "It's good to give up skinny jeans and wear a cool denim jacket instead. I personally don't endorse any trends in particular, as I believe that would limit denim and take away its versatility. Denim is free-spirited - and that's how people should feel when they wear it."
Today, the fabric has invaded closets in every form imaginable, from skirts to bags, bibs and. aprons. For the last two years, Sherly Angela Lopez has been heading Ink Studio (@inkstudiodubai) in Dubai, which she founded together with her partner Urooj Suleiman. Their speciality? Customised denim aprons. The duo has been producing the custom orders for F&B properties across the emirate - just drop by Surf House Dubai, The Blue Door Dubai, DIFC's Nina's Boutique or Alchemy in Jumeirah for chefs serving up treats in denim - and they're not always blue. "Denim is at the heart of everything that we do at Ink Studio," says Sherly. "It's what caused us to start our brand. I love its rugged attitude combined with authentic washes. It's sturdier than any other fabric out there and adds a certain style element. Chefs and baristas prefer denim too as it's long-lasting - the more you wash, the better it gets!"
While purists might insist that the iconic indigo dye is the only way to go, the 29-year-old founder begs to differ. "Yes, blue or indigo denim is iconic - the real denim, as many would say - but since it's everywhere, why not make it more fun? A pink denim overall? Yes, please! Brands also appreciate having the option to pick a different shade of denim in keeping with their own guidelines."
The power of denim
Perhaps, above all, the reason denim has won our hearts - and wardrobes - is because they've always been such a symbol of self-expression. You were either proclaiming your 'youth' or 'edginess' to the world (well past your 50th birthday) or using it as an extension of your identity: whether that was a devil-may-care attitude or carefully curated style. Delivering messages through fashion is a concept Hind Adib, a Canadian-Iraqi based between Dubai and London, is well acquainted with.
The designer launched her eponymous label in late 2016 that upcycles vintage denim jackets embossed with empowering messages like "I've got my own back", pink boxing gloves with the words 'Like a girl" or just an oversized 'X'. "The 'X' symbolises crossing out all the negative thoughts, self-doubt and hate I had. that was crippling me from creating. and pursuing my dreams," says Hind. "With the slogans, I wanted to spread a specific message of empowerment that women, and men, can relate to on a deeper, external level."
The messages don't always have to be so in-your-face either. Even without the slogans, Hind's collection says a lot: it uses only vintage denim (from the 50s through to the 90s) to save it from "pollution caused by clothing waste" and all the T-shirts are 100 per cent organic cotton, so they can be recycled without harming the environment.
And what about political statements? Denim is not beneath taking a stance on the steps of the Supreme Court if it must. No, really. When in Rome, in 1998, the Italian Supreme Court cleared a rapist of his conviction on the basis that the victim wore tight jeans and, therefore, must have helped her attacker remove them, making the act consensual, the ruling ignited widespread protests across the country. Women in Parliament showed up to work the next day wearing denim, inspiring members of the California legislature to follow suit too on the steps of the Capitol. It resulted in the Italian Supreme Court overturning the previous ruling, and the creation of Denim Day - observed on April 25 every year as a campaign to raise awareness about sexual violence.
The power of denim. It makes you want to say with Andy Warhol, "I wish I could invent something like blue jeans... something to be remembered for."
karen@khaleejtimes.com