Designer Q&A - PRPS
Photo by Phillip Angert
This week's Designer Q&A is with Donwan Harrell, founder of one of my favourite denim brands PRPS.
1) Why do you think after 200 years jeans are still one of the most popular items of clothing?
Denim is a versatile fabric that has the ability to transform into fashion and basics as well as being functional. Denim is ever-evolving and will most likely be around for another 200 years.
2) Last time I counted there were over 100 brands of premium denim jeans, what makes your jeans stand out from the rest?
PRPS is a luxury denim brand that is produced in Japan we are one of the few brands who are able to create an authentic vintage wash that actually looks like real vintage and we provide the best craftsmanship and quality. Our classic pieces defy fads and get better with age.
David Beckham in PRPS Jeans
3) Who do you imagine is a typical customer?
A typical PRPS customer is someone who wants the best quality jeans out there. We have classic raw selvedge denim for purists who don’t want a vintage feeling; they want to wear in their jeans over time. Then we have the fanatics who want every style and wash possible. They want it first and tend to collect the jeans.
4) Where do you get your inspiration from?
PRPS is inspired by early 70’s American drag racing car culture mixed with authentic military uniform, work-wear, and hunting attire. These details are continually referenced from season to season and can be seen in each pair of jeans.
PRPS "Barracuda" Jean
Photo by Phillip Angert
5) Which style and wash of your jeans are flying out of the shops the quickest at the moment?
Right now, the "Barracuda" jean in tinted raw selvedge is the fastest selling style and wash.
6) Are there any essential jeans that everyone should have in their wardrobe?
I recommend the "Barracuda" jean in tinted raw selvedge. It’s a slim, classic fit that is clean and perfect for most occasions.
7) What are the first pair of jeans you remember?
I recall as a child growing up in North Carolina, my mom working at the OshKosh B’Gosh factory and she would bring home the jeans for my brother and I to wear. I wore that brand a lot as a child.
8) What have been your favorite pair of jeans that you have owned?
My favorite pair is always the pair I am wearing. I only wear raw selvedge denim, and as long as the fit is great, I wear the same pair everyday endlessly!
9) What have been your favorite pair of jeans that you have produced?
My favorite pair is the first pair I ever made. Those were the ones that started the company. I was fortunate to have gotten it right that first time with the signature folded back pocket.
10) How many pairs of jeans do you currently own and which are your favorites?
I currently own 8 pair of jeans and I have a duplicate of each one, so that really makes it 16 physical pairs. Each are a different brand and none are available in the U.S. They are all independent Japanese labels by designers who are dear friends of mine.
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 a wear my jeans and never wash them kind of person. I feel the true beauty of raw selvedge denim reveals itself overtime as it stretches and molds to the shape of the body. I love to feel the denim soften and to see how the color gradually fades and creases develop their own tints and hues.
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?
Yes, I have a Chino style in raw denim which is an 11.5 oz slim fit. I wear them when I’m working on my car. Other than that, you’ll see me in my raw selvedge regular slim fit jeans.
13) Which is your favorite jeans shop?
My favorite jeans shop is the Ron Herman Jean Bar in Los Angeles.
14) Which celebs are currently wearing your jeans?
Style icon Brad Pitt (see above), actor Patrick Dempsey, top athletes like David Beckham and Tom Brady as well as actress Rachel Bilson and funny lady Ellen Degeneres.
15) How big an effect does it have on your sales when a celeb is seen wearing a pair of your jeans?
The impact is immediate when a celebrity is seen wearing PRPS jeans. Our clients get inundated with phone orders after an image of Brad Pitt in PRPS is run. When this happens, the jeans sell out of stock. It’s amazing.
16) Who is your current favorite denim icon (male & female). I am thinking the person who has the most denim style?
My current favorite male denim icon is Steve McQueen and my favorite female denim icon is Blondie.
17) Which character (male & female) from a movie had the most denim style?
Peter Fonda as Larry in "Dirty Mary Crazy Larry" and Sally Field as Carrie in "Smokey and the Bandit".
18) Which person living or dead would you most like to see in a pair of your jeans?
Bob Marley
19) If jeans had not been invented, what would we all be wearing?
We would all be wearing Chinos if jeans had not been invented.
20) And finally, any predictions for denim in 2008?
The market is so saturated with dark skinny jeans right now that I predict there will be more authentic vintage washes and "destroyed" denim in 2008.
| AndyK: 16/04/08 |
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