The staple jean, an evolution beyond the five pocket

London – It used to be the style of choice, the five pocket jean. The reliable staple that filled the universal wardrobes of young and old, male and female, defining a generation by only minimal variations of its design.

But that was then. Despite the denim market climbing out of tougher times, it remains one of the few fashion categories that has seen genuine innovation and evolution. In the US, the denim market is worth 13 billion dollars, and has begun to be as diverse as fashion itself. Globally the market is buoyant, and estimated to be worth 60 billion dollars.

From high to low, high street to premium, “people’s way of dressing has changed,” Levi Strauss’ head of design Jonathan Cheung told WWD. “They wear high-low. It’s perfectly fine to wear a thrift-store pair of Levi’s with a Gucci shirt.”

The five pocket was once the starting point

The five pocket jean may have been the starting point, but versatility has taken precedence and options are exponential, from boyfriend to bootleg, skinny to workwear, from selvedge to stretch and with a million washes and treatments in between. Successful purveyors of denim are in the business of offering the newest options to their customers. Diversity is key, with more sizes and a wider range of styles available in a jean portfolio.

Swedish denim brand Nudie Jeans is an interesting example, recently expanding its eco line of denim, offering traditional selvage but with mixed fabrications such as hemp, bamboo and even paper.

Uniqlo this season introduced Kaihara denim, originating from a 120 year old Japanese company of the same name that uniquely produces denim from cotton selection to final production. All the while retailing for under 50 euros. They offer both pared down and distressed jeans, all under the moto of Uniqlo’s Life Wear.

So it appears denim is like a blank canvas, and manufactures, artists, designers, mills, fabric makers, research & development departments and technology companies all have stakes in innovating the world’s best loved fabric.

Adriano Goldschmied, one of denim’s founding fathers and an industry titan, once told Jason Denham, founder of Denham the Jeanmaker, to “just make a great five-pocket and you’ll have a fantastic business.” Sometimes the past and future remain inextricably woven together. Much like denim itself.