I decided to start this new series, Fashion Pills, which I’ve been thinking about for a while. Just facts and curiosity about fashion that maybe you don’t know about.
On May, 20 1873 Levi Strauss, the owner of a wholesale business, and Jacob Davis, a tailor who was one of Strauss’ customers, patented blue jeans. At first a garment for workers, worn by miners and cowboys, blue jeans become the epitome of coolness and rebellion, thanks to Hollywood stars like Gary Cooper and rock legends like Elvis Presley. Almost 150 years later, they are still one of the coolest garments ever and despite luxury brands regularly include denim in their collections, this amazing fabric is still democratic.
The word denim derives from Nîmes, a town in the South of France. Serge de Nîmes was a twill fabric made of wool and silk used to make clothes for its citizens. Wool and silk were later replaced by cotton. When, in 1685, King Louis XIV (aka the Sun King) revoked the Edict of Nantes, a decree which granted freedom of religion signed by King Henry IV of France in 1598, many Protestants decided to leave France and went to countries like England, Italy, Netherlands and America. Among them there was a family of merchants, who moved from Nîmes to Gênes, that is to say Genoa, in Liguria. Obviously they took serge de Nîmes with them. Then, one day, an American merchant come into possession of the fabric and the rest is history.
Who knows what would have happened without an unfair law? Of course there are different (but similar) versions about the origin of denim. I chose this one, since I found different sources that confirmed it.
“I have often said that I wish I had invented blue jeans: the most spectacular, the most practical, the most relaxed and nonchalant. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity – all I hope for in my clothes.”
Yves Saint Laurent
It’s Cher’s birthday, today, and this is a photo of this amazing artist wearing jeans. Two icons in the same, beautiful photo.
Screenshot from Vogue – Photo by Universal Music Group
Great songs 🎶 to listen to:
Lana Del Rey “Blue Jeans”
David Bowie “Blue Jean”
Neil Diamond “Forever in Blue Jeans”
I hope you enjoyed Fashion Pills and learnt something new!
The preview image is from Tumblr.
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