About the history, origins and definitions of denim. Denim, the stuff that jeans are made of, referred originally to a twilled serge cloth manufactured in Nimes, a town in southern France. The name of the cloth first reflected its city of origin – Serge De Nimes – but was eventually condensed and shortened to denim.

The most controversial among the functional fabrics is denim. In several colleges, it has been considered as an influence of western culture and a few have even banned denim in their campus. However as a person from the fashion industry, I believe that denim is a fully functional fabric and most loved among casual wear by all age group. Denim is tuff, convenient, requires very little maintenance, and looks smart, comfortable to wear.

History of Denim

The most distinctive indigo twill-weave fabric has its origin in the city of Nimes, in France during the early 17^th century and was called Serge De Nimes. On arrival in the US in the 18^th century it became just plain Denim

Was Serge De Nimes more well-known than serge De Nim and translated wrong when it crossed the English Channel? It’s likely we will never really know. Adding to the confusion, yet another fabric known as ‘Jean’ also existed at the same time. The research on this textile and available documentation indicates that it was fustian – cotton, linen and / or wool blend – and that fustian from Genoa, Italy was called Jean. This is in evidence of a fabric being named for a place of origin. It was apparently quite popular and imported into England in large quantities during the 17^th century and was being produced in Lancashire.

By the 18^th century, jean cloth was made completely of cotton and used to make men’s clothing, valued especially for its property of durability even after many types of washing. Denim was coal miner’s favourite because it was rugged and comfortable to work in the mines too.

Denim’s popularity was more on the rise compared to the Jean. Denim was stronger and more expensive than jean and though the two fabrics were very similar in some ways, they did have one major difference; denim was made of one coloured thread and one white thread; jean was woven of two threads of the same colour.

DATING DENIM

By Dr NVR Nathan, Director, AIFD, Bangalore

Denim is fully functional fabric and most loved among casual wear by all age groups

The rugged look of denim overshadowed the jean and denim moved on to create history. According to Lynn Downey, Levi Strauss & Co historian, in 1864, an east coast wholesale house advertised that it carried 10 different kinds of denim, including ‘New Creek Blues’ and Madison River Browns’, terms that still sound contemporary today.

The current fashion is not only for traditional denim, the cotton indigo workhorse fabric that turned five-pocket jeans into a worldwide standard. The wash, the finish, of jeans has changed, as have colours, textures and finishes. Denim is now not only available in traditional Indigo and green but also in many more hues and with pin stripes too.

At the moment, delave jeans – washed out pairs – are in demand. There are also styles that are made to look unwashed and are constructed with brown filler yarns which are fashionable, as are destroyed denims that come in rough fabrics, over dyed fabric, stonewashed, flocked or embroidered.

The other popular range are hand-drawn graphics and trims, along with textured with appliqués, patches, laces, contrast stitching, grommets, studs, buckles and beads all have their place among youthful fashions. The love affair with denim continues and the market is ever growing. Army Institute of Fashion and Design (AIFD) is now working with certain select colleges to design their college uniforms using denim.

Denim is also available in revolutionary washes that have drastically altered the finish of fabric and also the dexterous blend of a new fibre Tencil has softened up the fabric to give excellent flow too.

Now that denim is available in several new hues, textures and also in pin stripes, it is expected to open up new application in fashion wear.

You can contact the author at

nvrnathan@gmail.com

This article is also published in

The Indian Express

News Paper dated 28 Jun 2005

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Emergence of Jeans

Hollywood stars like Marlon Brando in “The Wild One” and James Dean, in “Rebel Without A Cause” made a cultural ICON of cowboys and influenced the jean to cross over to mainstream wear. Throughout the world, denim has emerged a symbol of the young, active, informal way of life.

There have been many avatars or variation of jeans – from the drainpipes for teddy boys, embroidered jean for hippies, designer denims for society ladies, sand wash, faded and many more. Denim transcends fashion, income and social barriers. Denim is more than a cotton fabric. It inspires strong opinions from historians, designers, teenagers, movie stars, reporters and writers. In 1969, a writer for American Fabrics magazine declared, “Denim is one of the world’s oldest fabrics, yet it remains eternally young.” Fashion is dynamic and is seasonal too; fabrics and designs go out of fashion very fast.

However denim has been an exception, the continuous use of and interest in it makes it “eternally young,” colours, textures and finishes with the new look.

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