Denim – A Walk Through History

Denim – A Walk Through History. Walking up casually to your closet, you will surely find various blues spread all over the space. Denim is a symbol of style and evokes a sense of fashion that has been carried on for ages. But did you ever think or go back to the time to check where did these blue washes originate from, or basically, what is denim?

The Origin
The word ‘denim’ originates from ‘Serge de Nîmes’ which is a twill fabric that was first woven in Nîmes, France. Tailors there used to weave cotton in a very unique way! They pass weft under two or more warp threads which results in a strong fabric. Indigo is used to dye the warp and the weft remains white. This technique used is the reason why we see denim to be blue outside and white internally. Magical, right?

Variety in making
Back then, these garments had only a blue shade and its variants. But in the modern world, we see denim to be maroon, grey, and black too, with blue denim being the most popular one. Denim is not only resistant to abrasions but is also natural, and easy to wash.

With jeans being the most popular denim garment, we also see denim skirts, shorts, and jackets in the market. Denim has an elastic component to make the garment stretchy.

Levi Strauss and Devi – History makers
Back in the 1800s, during the gold rush, American miners needed clothes that were strong and durable. Levi Strauss was a businessman who sold denim. And Devi, a tailor who used the fabric sold by Levi to make tents, blankets, and wagon covers.

He got an order of pants specifically designed for hard work, so he installed copper rivets on the pockets of the garment. And hence, this was the onset of the brand Levi Strauss, the legend of jeans, which is hugely successful even today!

Leading on the culture of blue
In the 1930s, denim became even more popular when Hollywood actors in the cowboy movies wore jeans. But during the second world war, the production of jeans dropped. On the contrary, American soldiers started wearing denim jeans on holidays, and hence the concept of jeans caught on.

Women, men, and children started wearing jeans as casual wear liking the comfort and easy-to-maintain properties of blue jeans. Visitors from all over the world vacationing also helped the popularisation of blue jeans.

The June 1935 issue of Vogue magazine added to its popularity by featuring blue jeans to hint that denim is now a part of fashion! And when the war ended, companies like Wrangler and Lee, which made denim, started coming into the picture.

Music culture inspiring the Denim World
Crawling to the 1960s and 70s, the culture of denim was diversified to include various patterns, prints, and embroidery, along with the bell-bottom styles, which did not fail to make their way towards music.

The denim influence grew, even more, when musicians adopted this blissful style. Coming to the 1980s, jeans became a commonly worn garment and kept on evolving into new varieties. Designer companies like Calvin Klein, Gucci, and Versace started offering high-end jeans, and the punk music culture inspired the skinny jeans and snow wash look in the denim industry.

The youth and pop music culture introduced various new styles in the 1990s, like denim on denim, baggy jeans, distressed jeans, and more to count. Lastly, the 2000s introduced premium jeans with an inclusive Sustainable fashion!

In all, denim has quite an interesting history, right? Its versatility, durability, strength, and comfort make it the most wanted and most popular clothing.

reference:

1. https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-denim-fabric-a-guide-to-the-history-of-denim#what-is-denim
2. https://www.typesofjeanfits.com/a-brief-history-of-jeans-denim-history-timeline/