Feminist art, upcycling, scribbled embroidery: everything was fair play with the jeans and jackets recently on display at the Levi’s Lounge in Mathuradas Mills, Mumbai, when the brand celebrated the 145th anniversary of its classic 501 Jean. About 25 artists and social influencers from across the country, including textile designer Hansika Sharma and stand-up comedian Rohan Joshi, were invited to present their reinterpretations of the iconic jean. “The brief was that there was no brief,” a marketing representative revealed.
It was yet another instance of the brand’s ongoing efforts to encourage wearers to imprint their own identity on denim. Want to distress your fabric? Patch your jeans and add panels? YouTube tutorials by Levi’s MasterTailors abound with customisation tips. But it is not just Levi’s that is promoting the humble jean as a canvas for self-expression. For millennials who are channeling their insecurities and the pop colours of their ’90s childhood into a new, more vibrant aesthetic, plain denim will not do anymore. In February, TopShop launched a series in its London store where, each week, artists like Elizabeth Ilsey (Rihanna is a fan) customised denims for shoppers. Fill out a questionnaire on Hatrik, and wait for three weeks to receive a jacket, which is, literally, one of a kind. Glitter, embroidery, acrylic — anything goes.
For all seasons
Denim has appeared on elite runways, launched in capsule collections, and is seen on some of our most stylish celebrities. Nina Ricci included a tailored, crisp indigo version in its spring/summer 2018 collection, while Shilpa Shetty and designer Anubha Jain made headlines with their denim saris . Extending all the way to footwear, Miu Miu even released a pair of denim espadrilles. “It’s no longer something that you can only imagine a 20-year-old wearing,” Priyanka Kapadia, Vogue India’s Senior Fashion Editor, points out. “It’s also grown up and chic.”
Not only has denim evolved, it has remained ubiquitous. “I feel like every mood of it is trending — whether it’s ’90s-style mom jeans, a very refined, tailored dark denim, or even embellished denim,” Kapadia says. “The millennial generation has made denim cool again. Dress-up denim is one of the biggest trends that has come up repeatedly over the last few years. When Kendall Jenner wore denim cut-offs on the red carpet, it made headlines,” she shares.
Keep it personal
When it comes to crafting your own denim narrative, Babneet Lakhesar offers inspiration. The Indo-Canadian painter who goes by the name Babbu, has a wildly popular denim jacket featuring a sunglass-clad, bindi-wearing Indian woman. It sells for over $450 and is sported by the likes of Mindy Kaling and Monica Dogra. It looks hand-painted (which it is), with no sharp and glossy finishes. It is this aesthetic, of unabashed imperfection, that has made it so sought after.
Sahiba Madan, an architect and designer who presented her work at the Levi’s 501 event in Mumbai, embellished her denim with dainty birds, zebras and leaves, in an effort to take another look “at clothing as the first environment you inhabit”. With colour-blocked squares extending down the legs of the 501, designer Aaquib Wani's pieces at the Levi's event were also strongly influenced by nature and the world around him. So this season, add your personal imprint to your favourite pair of jeans or get a pro to do it for you. In millennial speak, stay on fleek.
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