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Tom Ford's Pricey Pants

Filed under: Apparel

You have to admire the brio of Tom Ford. While others are planning lower priced denim lines, the popular menswear designer is going in a different direction. Ford, who once hawked mangled feather-strewn jeans at Gucci for over $3,000 is back in the jeans business for his own line. His latest offering is pairs of $990 jeans made from Japanese selvedge denim with pockets lined in silk and an 18K gold plated front button. Ford's new jeans, which aren't easily recognizable as a pricey pair (no bedazzled pockets, no trendy style) fit in with the new stealth shopping aesthetic of wearing things that are expensive without looking overtly flashy.

The End of Pricey Denim, For Now

Filed under: Apparel


You know the economy is in trouble when Michael Ball, the founder of Rock & Republic tells the AP that "the days of the $300 jeans are gone." He should know. He's been selling fancy jeans with beaded back pockets to those who can afford them for years. Now, Rock & Republic is embracing hard times with a Limited Edition Recession Collection that will hit stores on March 1. The mini collection will feature just four pieces (two for both women and men) for $128 to $138.

The collection is part of a general retailing strategy that has many brands not just cutting prices but also cutting back the variety of clothing. With less shoppers at the stores, brands are focusing on items which will have the widest appeal. Brands hope they can keep customers continuing to shop on at least a most basic level until the economy brightens. Then Rock & Republic's Recession Collection will be off the shelves and retailers will shift back into temptation mode.

Audrina Patridge's New Endorsement Deal

Filed under: Apparel, Celebrity Shopping

Audrina Patridge, the sanpaku-eyed brunette on "The Hills" is definitely coming into her own. She's been getting much of the air time on the show, recently bought her own Hollywood Hills home and now she has her own endorsement deal. She is the new face of Divine Rights of Denim and will appear in their Spring 2009 ad campaigns as well as ontribute to the design and merchandising process. Divine Rights of Denim launched in the Spring of 2008 and everything in the line retails for under $100. Jeans styles include: "Sensuality", "Envy", "Confidence," and "Jealousy." Audrina is quoted in the press release as being rather thrift-minded saying: "in a world where people spend upwards of $250 on a pair of premium jeans, it's nice to be a part of a line that everyone can afford."

Rare Old Levi Strauss Jeans Hit eBay

Filed under: Apparel, Auctions


As I mentioned when we were looking at the rare items in the world, old Levi's jeans are worth a lot of money. According to the Guinness Book of World Records the most valuable jeans are an original pair of Levi Strauss & Co 501 jeans aged over 115 years old which were sold to a collector in Japan for $60,000 through eBay in 2005. So it's big news that another pair of old Levi's have hit eBay. The seller reports that the rather dusty jeans were found in a mine in the Rand Mining District, on the Mojave Desert,. California. They are covered in candlewax from the candles the miner was using to light the tunnel he was working in and were found with a paper bag with the name of a mercantile store which operated between 1895 and 1898 in the town of Randsburg. The pants have a buckle back with suspender buttons and cloth label indicating they are size W34 x L33. The auction ends today and was over $11,000 last time I checked.

[via Kottke]



Levis Vintage XX First Blue Rigid Jeans

Filed under: Apparel

Styles may come and go but Levi's seem to manage to weather the vicissitudes of trends, falling in and out of fashion but never disappearing. Taking a page from luxury jeansmakers, the original 501s get a boost into the world of premium denim through the use of nine ounce Japanese denim that is hand dyed using methods that recreate the process from the original jeans. The Levis® Vintage XX First Blue Rigid Jeans have the original cinchback style used in 501s and come with a special totebag. They sell for around $570 and will be released at the end of September.

[via Acquire]

Roberto Cavalli, Swarovski Crystal Jeans

Filed under: Apparel

Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli is known for flashy animal prints and plunging necklines, always pushing the envelop and not conforming...just a few of the reasons he is my favorite designer! These jeans have standard pockets, belt loops and stud detailing as well as the signature Cavalli fit and cut. What isn't standard or cheap is the thousand dollars worth of Swarovski crystal detailing the top! Available online for $1,275....be careful these gems don't get thrown in with your regular laundry!

World's Most Expensive Living Artist Turns Jeans Designer

Filed under: Apparel, Art


I never know quite what to make of artist Damien Hirst, is he a brilliant commentator on modern life or merely a shameless huckster? Hirst, who recently became the most expensive living artist, delights in controversy. Whether its exhibiting sharks and other animals in formaldehyde, creating a diamond-covered skull, or his many side businesses that include the sales of bracelets and art kits, Hirst is probably the heir to Andy Warhol in the realm of merging art and commerce. That comparison just got a bit more apt, Hirst is now going to be working with Levi-Strauss on a line of luxury jeans under the company's Warhol Factory X Levi's label. The collection will be launched in September during New York Fashion Week with the name Warhol Factory X Levi's X Damien Hirst. Items in the Warhol Factory X Levi collection generally sell for $190-$250 for jeans and $80-$300 for tops.

World's Most Expensive Jeans

Filed under: Apparel

Forbes has the scoop on the most expensive jeans. They cite trends towards custom-fitted denim and lots of added detailing, including embroidery and crystals, as major reasons that prices were driven upwards, but not every pair on their list has these features. The single most expensive pair was 115-year old Vintage Levis sold on eBay for $60,000, followed by the significantly newer Ernest Sewn custom jeans, which cost up to $1,000 per pair.

Other pairs we liked this year included Levis iPod Jeans and Denim for Immortality Jeans, though we also liked the opportunity to make our own from Denim Design Lab.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Core Denim Satchel, Handbag of the Day

Filed under: Handbags

Soft, made of very cottony denim, the Core Denim Satchel from Marc by Marc Jacobs is a lovely casual handbag that is as comfortable to carry around as it looks. The denim is embossed with the scrambled letters in "Marc Jacobs" and features a contrasting trim in rich suede. It has a zip top closure and a floral cotton lining with several interior pockets, as well as one exterior side pocket and a transparent ID window. It measures 13" x 7.5" x 7.5" and has a 10" drop from the shoulder. Price: $258.

Denim for Immortality Jeans

Filed under: Apparel

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, so many retailers have special-edition products and are donating all or a portion of the proceeds from their sale to various breast cancer charities. This pair of Denim for Immortality Jeans are adorned with pink Swarovski crystals on the back pockets, a subtle touch that sets the apart from other jeans, and fifty percent of the purchase price will go to the Young Survival Coalition. Of course, donating money directly to the charity might be a more effective way of supporting the cause, but if you're going to be shopping for jeans anyway, it's nice to be able to do something for others at the same time. Price: $229.

Denim Design Lab

Filed under: Apparel

If you want to explore your inner designer, the Denim Design Lab Kit will allow you to finish and distress jeans to your own specifications. Only 200 units of each of the limited edition kits, available in three different case styles, were produced and each includes a complete set of design tools and a handbook to guide you through the process. Is it worth getting a kit to customize your jeans rather than just buying a pair you like in the first place? It depends on how much you enjoy doing it, but if you get good enough, people might start coming to you instead of heading to the store. Price: £180 (about $340).

iPod Jeans from Levis

Filed under: Apparel, Gadgets

We knew about the launch of the iPod Jeans from Levi Strauss a few months ago, but thanks to Engadget, we finally know what they look like. The jeans have an iPod docking link attached to a red ribbon wire that is hidden in a side pocket, and a small control unit is built into a higher, hip-height pocket, offering the only real advantage over simply putting your iPod into a pocket of jeans you already own. A retractable - and hopefully detachable - headphone unit is included. Each pair is said to be €199.99 ( $257), but our guess is that you'll have to pay extra for dry cleaning and other special treatment, since these are probably no washing machine friendly.

Marc Jacobs Sweet Canvas Tote, Handbag of the Day

Filed under: Handbags

No sooner were the words about wanting to see more denim out of my mouth than I came across a few more denim finds! In the spirit of Memorial Day weekend, I'm bypassing the denim Fendi Spy in favor of the Sweet Canvas Tote from Marc by Marc Jacobs. The handbag certainly is sweet, with its pink contrast topstitching and pink-and-blue flower detail. The body of the bad is done in a muted teal blue canvas with navy trim and is topped off with a navy drawstring closure. It has front pockets to tuck away your cell phone and the directions to the beach. Cotton lining won't scratch the lenses on your sunglasses and at 10x17x6-in., you'll have more than enough room for your iPod, a book and a bottle of Evian. Price: $198.

Dior Embroidered Demin Bag, Handbag of the Day

Filed under: Handbags

Denim doesn't seem to be a material that bags are showing up in very much these days. It's a shame because it's a lovely material that's easy to accessorize and great for casual, day use. Dior's Embroidered Denim Bag is the perfect example. They took a simple, light denim and edged it in a warm, toffee-colored leather, with a logo "D" dangling charm. Shimmering blue floral embroidery almost blends in with the fabric and adds a touch of grace to it. The purse itself is structured, with protective metal feet and magnetic snaps to close it. Pair this bag with the matching embroidered wedges, fitted trousers and a white top. Price: $990.

Sienna Miller to Launch Denim Line

Filed under: Apparel, Celebrity Shopping

Sienna Miller, the actress and ex of Jude Law, is taking her fashion sense to the masses - and by masses, we mean Pepe Jeans. The 24 year old up-and-coming style icon has been seen not only in the gossip pages, but on the cover of Vogue. She has a contract with Pepe to be the "face and body" of their jeans, and her super-skinny frame fits the style of the moment. Unfortunately, a fashion insider told the Mirror that the "jeans will be her own unique designs and ... even though she is ultra-skinny, her jeans will be made to flatter most sizes." Don't they know that is precisely what got Jessica into trouble with her Princy line?

And in a related similarity with the Jessica Simpson story, Sienna may have been photographed wearing rival LoFLi jeans....



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