Jeans & Denim, A Pair That Conquered The World!
Jeans are so loved around the world. Yet, who would have thought that Italy, France and America were the countries that gave life to one of the most worn pieces of clothing? Despite their diversified origins, nowadays they are simply made, worn and loved everywhere!
Now, the terms ‘jeans’ and ‘Denim’ are often used interchangeably, but are they really the same?
Jeans and its origins
The history of jeans is often thought to have started in America, with the intertwined imagery of American culture and the iconic blue jeans such as those produced by Levi Strauss. But jeans actually started in Genoa (Italy), owing an Italian-French background.
Jeans were “created” in the 15th century in Genoa, where fabric imported from Chieri (Turin) was used to make cover materials and products on the ships departing from the city’s port. In that same period, in Nîmes (Southern France) a fabric of similar composition was also made, being usually exported to Genoa, to make sailor trousers. The latter were named “blue de Gênes” by the French, referring to its color and its deriving from Genoa. This is where the name ‘jeans’ came about, with ‘blue jeans” being the English verbal distortion of “blue de Gênes”.
At the same time, in the French town of Nimes a tougher fabric similar to jean, called “Twill from Nimes” or “serge de Nîmes”,was being used. Later, the fabric would be known as “denim”.
Fast-forward some years and, in 1873, an American invention came about combining the two. Jacob Davis, a Nevada tailor, patented metal rivets to reinforce his specialty, in other words he created denim work pants, with the financial backing of Levi Strauss. It combined the French fabric with the Italian-inspired trouser and made an American classic!
So, are Jeans and Denim the same thing?Jeans are the trousers themselves and the denim refers to the textile they are made out of. It has a twill weave and is typically made of cotton or a cotton-polyester blend.
What are some of the most popular cuts and styles?
There are probably infinite types of jeans.
Some widely used jeans cuts include the Skinny Jean, Straight Jean, Cropped Jean, and Flared Jean. Some styles include the single color, multi-colored, patchwork, and ragged but the list is really long and, in all honesty, it all goes back to personal taste!
However, if one wishes to know what style of jeans is really trendy at the moment, they can surf the web and check out multiple fashion online stores, such as Luisaviaroma for example, where one can scroll through the huge variety of jeans that the market offers. A great example are Amiri jeans that respond to the needs of demanding fashion lovers and certainly can give that extra fashionable touch to one’s look.
This everyday “modern” piece of clothing we all have worn at some point is, in reality, an item that has a long history and is always at the top of stylists’ lists. It is a Fashion evergreen! We will probably continue to see different jeans’ cuts and styles that cycle through the fashion of the time. As new trends come in and out, denim will be something that will stick around as far as we can see!
