From work wear to smart wear

ONE OF THE best-loved fabrics in the world, denim has long moved from being the material of the working man to the choice of smart men and women.
This season designer Alexander Wang adds elegance to what he calls the “urban uniform” with his new “Denim x Alexander Wang” collection, now available at the brand’s new |boutique at EmQuartier shopping complex.
Denim x Alexander Wang is the next evolution for Wang, whose collections have become renowned for perpetually evolving and re-contextualising the urban uniform, of which denim is an integral part. The debut collection comprises three fits in three washes each. The three launch styles, which will remain the core of the Denim x Alexander Wang collection, are named WANG 001 (slim), |WANG 002 (relaxed) and |WANG 003 (boy fit).
Wang takes its starting point from genuine denim made from heavyweight, high-ridge structured twill to create a crisp, sturdy and dry hand, with a modern fit. WANG 002 and 003 are menswear inspired, made from 100-per-cent cotton, vintage-style denim. Minimal stretch is used only for the slim fitting style.
“Denim is very personal to me, as I – as well as a lot of people around me – wear it as part of their everyday wardrobes,” Wang says.
“A lot of my girlfriends alter non-stretch vintage denim jeans. We wanted to translate that genuine sensibility, but evolve and tweak the fit to make it more feminine. Especially for the WANG 001, we wanted to differentiate it, by adding just minimal recovery and making the fit truly slim, not skinny.”
The brand pays detailed attention to fabrication. A combination of techniques are used to achieve the right patina including washing techniques, as well as dry process hand techniques, including hand sanding and grinding to create authentic fold and crease lines. By using high-end, cutting-edge techniques combined with handcrafted elements, Denim x Alexander Wang features a nuanced marbling texture, closely replicating the look of natural ageing and wear patterns.
The classic indigo look is paired with subtle, modern all-black hardware. The tack button has a solid, clean matte black profile, free of embellishment and is discretely branded on the inside. One of the five belt loops is black leather, and the sewn-in custom coin pocket is designed to have a clean functional look. The matte black rivets have a classic washer-burr construction,| in line with the jeans’ functional |aesthetic.
The slim fit is the authentic slim denim jeans with a high rise to sit at the waist. It has minimal stretch (one per cent for both indigo washes and two per cent for Stay Black), and is slightly loosened at the knee and ankle. It features a hem opening just wide enough to go over a narrow boot, allowing for intentional stacking. Fading and whiskers on the Indigo washes are created by hand. Light Indigo Fade, medium Indigo fade and stay Black, which uses a special reactive dye, resist fading two times longer than conventional dyes.
Relaxed style is a modern take on classic men’s jeans, fitted and treated for a woman’s body. Without any added stretch, the relaxed fit of the WANG 002 provides ease. It sits low and slouchy on the hips, while the legs are tapered to create a flattering silhouette. The Boy fit is 100-per-cent cotton trousers with a crisp, sturdy fit that’s slouchy on the hips. It has a masculine feel and is accentuated with an extra-dropped front rise and a straight hip. The tapered leg balances the boyish look and creates a narrower cuff.
And Alexander Wang isn’t the only designer focusing on denim this season. Valentino is also highlighting the fabric.
Creative directors of Maison Valentino, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli, introduce a “Stud Denim” project for their menswear collections. These items are offered in the same fits, - slim, regular and chinos – as in past collections and are enriched by the iconic stud, applied on the back belt, and the selvage detail. These styles are delivered in the dedicated blue box and are offered in different fabric options; blue, black, bleach denim, as well as blue stretch denim.
With a nod to the brand’s heritage in London’s industrial work wear of the 50s, denim brand Lee Cooper takes inspiration for its new collection of men’s and women’s wear and accessories by marrying reinvented mix-and-match styles to bring about four key looks that are unmistakably Lee Cooper.
Inspired by the canals of London’s East End and the people who lived and worked there, the collection presents modern incarnations that perfectly sustain rock n’ roll attitude. As two key pieces for the new season, women’s skinny fit denim “Pearl” and men’s straight fit denim “Harry” feature design elements such as copper hardware detail, busted out seams with red over-locking, and reinforced back pockets. Both styles also feature the classic Lee Cooper bow shape on the back pocket, as used in 1908, and the iconic red tab and branded rivets, resulting in a distinctive look.