Designer Q & A - Deener Denim
1) Why do you think after 200 years jeans are still one of the most popular items of clothing?
- Jeans are durable, casual, dressy, sexy, and comfortable all rolled up into one. Also they are the eternal uniform of youth and so I think denim continues to be important for all ages since everyone wants to feel eternally young.
2) Last time I counted there were over 50 brands of premium denim jeans, what makes your jeans stand out from the rest?
- In such a very saturated denim market I believe deener brings to the table more of a full denim collection as apposed to just being another line of jeans. Taking denim fabric and incorporating into classic fashion silhouettes including dresses and outerwear amongst other fashion ideas brings the denim fabric into a new realm of woven collections. The jeans themselves are sophisticated with an edgy twist. It’s about a classic & clean look with details meant to be noticed by the person wearing the clothes as opposed to a look that is screaming to be noticed by everyone else. It’s a brand you can mix into your wardrobe and it’s easy for your personal style & personality to show through.
3) Who do you imagine is a typical customer?
- The Deener girl loves a classic clean look but is usually ahead of the curve in embracing a new silhouette. She has her own sense of style and loves to mix her deeners with her vintage finds.
4) Which style and wash of your jeans are flying out of the shops the quickest at the moment?
- The high waist cigarette jean (see above) in carbon is flying off the shelves at this moment. The wash is dark & clean in the perfect shade of blue and the cut of the high waist sucks in your belly and rounds out your butt so I think girls are feeling extra sexy in that style.
5) Where do you get your inspiration from?
- deener inspiration comes from several outlets:
- Willard- my wiener dog that is actually the namesake of the line (had to throw that in!) if you look close enough you’ll see it!
- Geometry- a lot of the details incorporated from the stitching to the embroidery to the hardware are a play in geometric shapes bringing a fresh abstract element to the clothes.
- Vintage silhouettes
- The fabrics I choose often inspire the themes in the line
- My friends are a big inspiration as I often think of dressing them when I design.
6) Are there any essential jeans that everyone should have in their wardrobe?
- Everyone should have a really soft, comfy, slouchy jean that just sort of hangs on you but looks amazing and you could even sleep in them comfortably. I think that’s the most essential jean.
7) What are the first pair of jeans you remember?
- I had some cute jeans when I was a kid that I know of from pictures but I can’t say I honestly remember them, in early grade school I remember all the rich kids wearing Gasoline jeans and Guess jeans…I couldn’t afford that so I was wearing stuff from k-mart which probably looked better anyway! Later on in junior high and high school I only wore boys vintage Levis.
8) What have been your favourite pair of jeans that you have owned?
- Before designing my own jeans my favorite jeans were Japanese Lady Lee Lowriders- they fit perfect and the fabric and wash was so much better than any brand in the US.
9) What have been your favourite pair of jeans that you have produced?
- hummm, its hard to say- its like picking your favorite child! I can’t do that. I think I rotate on my favorite. right now I love wearing the charmer skinny jean (see above) in the Nickel wash- the color is super old-skool but its really clean with no sanding.
10) How many pairs of jeans do you currently own and which are your favourites?
- I have no idea how many jeans I own- too much to count probably. Between all the deeners I own plus I still have all of my favorite Yanuk jeans from my work there. Lets just say there is a closet used just for jeans and several boxes of jeans I keep as archive in storage. My favorites are all deener, especially the charmer skinny and the charmer knee shorts (in various washes).
11) Are you a "wash your jeans after each wear" person or a "wear your jeans for six months before you wash them" person?
- I’m in-between. I don’t quite wait 6 months (maybe 2 months) and then I ONLY hand wash my jeans and let them hang dry. No washer- no drier- its sacrilege!
12) Do you own jeans for different occasions (for instance I have work jeans, smart jeans, weekend jeans, holiday jeans, jeans for going to concerts in, jeans for gardening in) if so what have you got?
- Most of my jeans are pretty versatile so I can wear them anywhere doing anything.
13) Which is your favourite jeans shop?
- My favorite jean shop in LA is American Rag World Denim Bar.
14) Which celebs are currently wearing your jeans?
- Celebs wearing deener are: Lindsay Lohan, Evangeline Lilly, Drew Barrymore, Molly Sims, Mina Suvari, Hayden Panettiere, & Jennifer Hudson.
15) How important big an effect does it have on your sales when a celeb is seen wearing a pair of your jeans?
- When a celebrity is seem in your jeans it always has a big impact on sales. We are a celebrity-obsessed culture and so it inevitably pumps up the sales on that item.
16) Who is your current favourite denim icon (male & female). I am thinking the person who has the most denim style?
- I think Charlotte Gainsbourg has some great denim style.
17) Which character (male & female) from a movie had the most denim style?
- James Dean- rebel without a cause.
18) Which person living or dead would you most like to see in a pair of your jeans?
- My grandmother- that would be very cute!
19) If jeans had not been invented, what would we all be wearing?
- If jeans had not been invented we would all be in our undies! Either that or we would be in some scratchy linen crap.
20) And finally, any predictions for denim in 2007
- Denim in 2007 will be wear what you like! Skinny- good, wide leg- good- dark wash or light wash- it’s all good. I think more people will be embracing high waisted looks and I’m glad cause I’m tired of seeing your butt crack.
| AndyK: 7/06/07 |
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