Remember Raleigh Denim, Victor and Sarah Lytvinenko’s home project turned into a full-fledged denim label? This interesting short film takes us behind the scenes of the North Carolina based label and provides a candid look at the ups and downs of independent jeans-making.

raleighdenim.com

Produced by David Huppert, Directed by Pete Bell

Photo credit: Nick Pironio

music credit: “Nice Fox” by The Rosebuds

EVISU Denim Details

For the Autumn/Winter ‘10 season Evisu will introduce two distinct men’s denim and sportswear collections under the Evisu and new Evisu Genes labels. The debut of men’s sportswear marks Evisu’s transition into an all-encompassing lifestyle brand revamped with creative director Scott Morrison’s aesthetic. The denim collections provide much of the insight into the new direction of the brand, with an emphasis on quality, craftsmanship and heritage.

The Evisu collection will consist of pieces (t-shirts, wovens, knits, jacket, trousers, outwear, hats) that incorporate a “Reference” to an iconic era, style or trend. Special care and attention was given to additional detailing, such as the reference to blood types in the clothing tag. It is a nod to the Japanese belief that blood types are indicative of personalities, character and compatibility with others (similar to horoscopes).

The Evisu genes label offers a more contemporary, fashion forward look for an edgier consumer. T-shirts, wovens, denim and outwear offer innovative designs that can be mixed and matched for a layering effect.

Both Menswear collections are debuting at selected premium retailers Autumn/Winter 2010.

www.evisu.com

More images of both Evisu and Evisu Genes after the jump

Denimology announces the launch of Prps’ Donwan Harrell new line: “Prps Heirloom will combine the quality and attention to detail we are used to from Prps but at a more affordable price. The collection will be made in the USA and as you can see from the lookbook images, the jeans, knitwear and leather jackets have a vintage Americana vibe with a contemporary twist”. Read more here.

Designer jeans are something we rarely talk about here at DENIMANIAC, and for a good reason. We opt to review the best, the interesting and the innovative in the market, and, unfortunately, designer jeans are usually none of that. Of course there are some exceptions, and one such example is the French house of Balmain.

Following his recent years revitalization of the maison, designer Christophe Decarnin is aiming to do to men’s jeans what he previously did to women’s. Decarnin’s tough-chic, military-inspired, body-skimming looks caused quite a stir among the fashion crowd and granted Balmain with heaps of press and a celebrity following. With his second collection for men (the first was for fall 09) Decarnin is reinforcing his obsessive involvement with virile epitomes: pilot, biker and athlete all manifest in the s/s collection, defying against the house’s couture heritage.

The garments consist of leather jackets, utility shirts and pants, tees and sweatshirts with air force inspired motifs, and, a Decarnin signature piece, the biker jeans. You may think that Balmain’s jeans silhouettes are reserved to the rich and famous but mark my words: it’s a short way from the catwalk to the main street retailers, and only a matter of (short) time until denim specializing brands will tap those looks. Soon in a shop near you…

More images after the jump

(Images via Hypebeast)

Always playful and crafty, British label Folk continue with their tradition of showing their collection in a video format. This time it’s the spring/summer 2010 collection which expands on previous collections with shirting and chunky knitwear that has become part of Folk’s DNA, complemented by what have previously been smaller elements of the collection in categories such as Jersey, Outerwear, and Accessories. Also to be expected this season the first Folk denim made in collaboration with Edwin. Turn on your speakers and enjoy.

A top favorite of ours, Amsterdam’s DENHAM the Jeanmaker continues to establish itself as a top-notch denim brand. While launching its new and innovative website the Dutch label introduces its spring/summer 2010 collection titled “The Foreign Office”. DENHAM’s primary inspiration for the season holds a strong stylistic nod to the golden era of the “gentleman spy” operating in hot-weather cultures of north Africa, India or Arabia, think Peter O’Toole in Lawrence of Arabia or Michael Caine in 1968′s Play Dirty.

The new season sees a further evolution of DENHAM’s emerging utility-tailoring approach. The gritty craft ethic expected of a hardcore jeanmaker including evocative new wash, resin and aging recipes is dramatically updated with unexpected soft-tailoring techniques and is then further modernized by an arsenal of distinct and inventive details. Much of the denim developments this season are inspired from the DENHAM GARMENT LIBRARY – the labels unique archive of authentic design specimens. In conjunction with the collection’s theme, a lot of attention was also given to Khakis and the invention of “modern chinos”, manifesting in new cuts and finishes.

More pieces from DENHAM’s s/s 10 collection after the jump

True to the labels Scandinavian origin, Won Hundred‘s spring summer 2010 collection is cool, clean and casual. You won’t find any of that vintage stuff here – perhaps a little nod to old times in their choice of materials, but other than that the collection’s relaxed, modern vibe is all about now, not then. My favorite look? The cropped chinos and denim shirt, of course!

More images from the lookbook after the jump

“Working in the theatre and making collections has a mutual feedback effect. The ideas “travel” from the stage of the theatre to the catwalk and vice versa …” say Alex Pogrebnojus; one half of Lithuanian design duo A&V. Together with Vida Simanaviciute, the two independent designers established their Vilnius studio in 1993. Obviously their creations show a strong flare for the dramatics, however for A/W 09 their stage is in the streets of metropolis, and their production has an edgy elegance with a touch of comedy to it.

More images after the jump

Any brand that puts jeans in its core collection is a favorite of mine (as long as they do things right, of course…), and you can be Won Hundred percent sure that the Danish label of industry veteran Nikolaj Nielsen is doing all the right moves! Founded in 2004, Won Hundred shows an extensive ready-to-wear collection ranging from t-shirts to tailor made suits, flanked by a comprehensive jeans program, all in conjunction with Nielsen’s ambition to challenge the way fashion was grasped in his native Denmark. Apparently his dream came true, and we’re left with a beautiful, modern and clean lined collection.

More images after the jump

Camo‘s spring/summer 2010 “Horses” collection brings to mind Meryl Streep in ‘Out Of Africa‘. Although Italian – this menswear label – launched in 2008, has taken its design creed from north European aesthetic; and like Miss Streep’s (Danish) character in the Oscar-winning movie, has traveled to Africa for inspiration. The collection, elegant and easy to wear, will look great out of Africa as well, just leave the turban at home…

More images after the jump

Named “cameras for eyes and horses for hearts”, Mjolk’s A/W 2009 collection is one of the most interesting and fresh menswear collection I have seen in the last few seasons. Sure they play with the same tendencies as everybody else but their interpretation is totally unique, focusing on the tension between aesthetic dichotomies – masculine and feminine; beautiful and ugly; sculptured and free form; tailored and rebellious – to create an harmonious, avant-garde look.

More images after the jump

Discovering the perfect pair of Denim is important, but none the less finding that cool T-shirt to go with. Let me help you with that…

LnA is a Californian label set on creating the perfect tee. Although picking through their collection of basics is highly recommended, their most attention-grabbing creation is a product of their collaboration with Music innovator Invisible DJ: The Music Tee. a T- shirt that is creatively designed to contain “album art” on the front, and a track list on the back. Each shirt comes with a hang tag printed with a URL and a unique code which will allow the owner of the shirt to download one copy of each of the tracks printed on the shirt from the Music Tee Room on LnA’s website. God is a DJ?

More of LnA T-shirts after the jump

Are the Dutch the new denim masters? After the international success of G-star and Blue Blood, now comes another exciting Dutch denim brand – DENHAM, Launched by Blue Blood co-founder Jason Denham.

The DENHAM spring/summer 2009 collection – entitled ‘The truth is in the details’ takes its inspiration from combining the past and the present. The collection is inspired by the designs in an antique pattern book and the models are named after the ancient tailoring techniques. DENHAM jeans are cut on raw denim materials from the legendary Japanese house of  Hiro and are hand finished in Italy. The look is a ‘cool contemporary meets original vintage’ – a balanced understated sophisticated style. The range of denims is comprehensive, both for men and women. The DENHAM collection also includes tops, coats, jumpers, bags and accessories.

“Our customer is not going to settle for less than jaw dropping, mouth watering, and gotta have pieces. The only way we know how to make them is to create our own unique balance of deep authenticity, inventive contemporary detailing and a distinctly modern attitude”

The brand’s logo is a pair of scissors, which DENHAM said is based on the scissors he cut his first jeans with 17 years ago – and with this kind of tradition what could go wrong? More pictures after the jump… Get them here.