I could go on and on about all the things that Naem does right – the wealth of information they provided me, the timeless look of their pairs, the fact that they’re made in the USA – and I’ll definitely touch on all those things. But what really sold me on Naem?
Um… well, really everything. I haven’t been this impressed with a brand since I got my first pair of Denim Design Lab, and that’s saying something. They covered practically every angle, and while they could have stopped there, they created a product that not only looks and feels great, it reminds you that you are a part of something larger than yourself. Yes… a denim brand can do that.
I’ve pretty much gone all fan-girl for these jeans, mostly because it’s like they jumped into my head, took all the things I wished for (save one or two, which we’ll talk about later) in a pair of denim, and then handed them to me. I even did something that I rarely do – I contacted them first. But hey, enough about me. I know you guys want details, and I’m here to give them to you.
Naem Denim was wonderful enough to send a pair of the Ashley Skinny in Alphabond to me. Even more amazing is that where I usually have to do all the measurements myself, they gave them all to me. ALL OF THEM.
The Ashley in Alphabond is made of 9.5 oz weight 72% Cotton 28% Polyester Blend Denim that features Dupont T-400 elastic fiber (which enables jean to maintain its resilience and limits “bagging”). The inseam is 33″, with an 8″ Front Rise, 13″ Back Rise and 11.5″ Leg Opening. Oh, and the wash?
The Alphabond Wash is “the same as the Bond wash but we added 3D wrinkles using a special embo machine to give it more character. In these washes we wanted to maintain the integrity of the fabric as much as possible. Give it the raw look. We coated the jean with resin to give a shiny and rich look. Afterwards we run the jean thru processes such as silicone and softener to enhance hand feel.”
Since I’m short, I cuffed these up for pictures. They could easily be hemmed, but a 33″ Skinny will work for any woman up to about a 36″ basic inseam. And here is their one flaw: only one inseam length. It changes for each style (Anywhere from 7.5″ for Shorts to 23″ for Crops, and a 32-33.5″ inseam for full-length pairs), but they don’t have multiple options. They do have a better than normal size range (sizes 24-33 for women), though I would recommend sizing up. I’m in a 26 and they fit perfectly, so they do run small.
But these are as close to perfection as I’ve ever found. And, even better is that Naem’s price points range from $145-$170 – not cheap, but these are quality jeans that will last a long time and look great doing it. These are a must-buy not just for Summer, but for all year round.
One of you won’t have to buy them, though… because Naem has graciously decided to give one pair away to a lucky DD reader! Here’s how to enter:
Mandatory Entry (this MUST be done for all other entries to count):
1.Check out Naem’s site and find one trait or style you love. Then leave a comment below sharing it with the rest of us.
Extra Entries (please leave SEPARATE comments for each entry, otherwise they’ll be counted as one):
1. Subscribe to DenimDebutante.com Emails (must confirm subscription for this entry to count).
2. Follow the site via RSS, Bloglovin’ or Google Friend Connect.
3. Follow Denim Debutante on Twitter.
4. Follow Naem Denim on Twitter.
5. Become a fan (or “like”) Denim Debutante on Facebook.
6. Become a fan (or “like”) Naem Denim on Facebook.
7. Tweet about the giveaway (up to 5x/day):
“Enter to win a pair of @DenimHeads Jeans on @DenimDebutante! http://bit.ly/ds3ZHT (Please RT!)”
8. Use any social bookmarking site (Facebook, StumbleUpon, Digg, Delicious, etc) to share this giveaway (one entry per site).
9. Write a blog post (with a link back to this post or DenimDebutante.com) about this giveaway.
You will have one week to enter this giveaway, so make your time count – entries will not be accepted after 11:59 pm MST on April 27, 2010. The winner will be announced April 28, 2010.
Good luck – and feel free to email me if you have any questions!
Love,
JP
I know that a lot of you knock Twitter because you don’t really get it (or you have a life, which is probably good for you. Keep that up!), but I’ve met some of the most amazing people, connected with some of the best brands and learned new things about this topic I know so much about thanks to 140 characters.
Amy Dufault, EcoSalon’s Fashion Editor, is one of those awesome people and when she said she wanted my help to find some of the best Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Denim Brands on the market today, I was happy to oblige… even if it took me longer than it should have (sorry, Amy!).
The entire list of brands that we compiled (which is not complete… there are always new brands who are making a difference and changing the way we see denim) can be found over at EcoSalon, but it includes some of my favorites, like Denim Design Lab, James Jeans, Loomstate and many more (as well as some you might not have expected!
Check it out and enjoy! Big thanks to Amy for being so patient with me and allowing me to help her out with such a fabulous list of brands!
Love,
JP
What an exciting press release to land on my doorstep… I’m a bit far away, but this is a must-know brand that deserves the expansion it’s seeing.
Miner49er is heading east with the opening of its 2nd concept shop on November 18, 2009 in Hong Kong
East meets West when Miner49er, the retail concept worth its weight in gold for discerning vintage denim fanatics, sets up shop in Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui district.
Askewing the clean, modern look of most specialty retail in HK, Miner49er will bring a rough and ready slice of California circa 1849 with its gold mining themed merchandising, authentic antiques and vintage photographs as the back drop to present some of the world’s best vintage inspired denim.
Miner49er will showcase premium selvage denim from California based “Denim Design Lab” and Montreal based “Bzen,” as well as vintage inspired T’s, books and other unique and hard-to-find items. Miner49er offers styles designed with the quality and simplicity of the original jeans worn by the 49ers, in updated, modern fits. Denim built so tough, you can trust your gold nuggets will be safe…
For additional information:
USA - Brian Robbins Ph: 949-366-3307 press@minerfortyniner.com
HK- Charles Lam Ph: 852-9755-3798 one.charles.l@gmail.com
# # #
miner49er : 420 N El Camino Real : San Clemente : CA : USA : 92672
Is it wrong that I now want to make an excuse to head to Hong Kong?
Love,
JP
(Click any of the photos to see them in full detail.)
The tops are amazing, but the jeans? They’re to die for. Plaid Denim by Erin McColl (FIT graduate who has previously worked for Yanuk, 7 for All Mankind, Imitation of Christ and more) has created a distinctive pair of denim that flatters every figure.
I’m truly intrigued by this new line… it’s just coming out for the fall season, and I think it’s fierce. There are some cut similarities to the previous companies that Erin McColl has worked for (read the bio below!), but there is also one unique difference: the back seam. I love that it goes up through the pocket, sort of piercing the jeans. It gives them a look that’s so different and refreshing in an over-saturated market of denim that all looks the same.
And I love that Skinny Zip. Love it. It’s so current and I think it has a clean look that most skinny zip jeans fail to achieve. Bravo, Ms. McColl. I’m in love.
PLAID is a contemporary denim and sportswear collection designed by Erin McColl. McColl was inspired at a very early age by her grandmother, a dress and doll maker, and also by the rich history of denim and textile manufacturing in her home state of North Carolina. McColl’s design experience began in New York, where she attended the Fashion Institute of Technology, and got her start designing skirts and dresses for American Eagle Outfitters. This experience laid a foundation for her career in design, and particularly sparked her interest in denim. Since relocating to Los Angeles, she has designed for Yanuk, Imitation Jeans, Rachel Pally, and Seven for all Mankind.
Her designs have been featured in publications such as: W, Nylon, Lucky, Elle, InStyle, Glamour, People, Marie Claire, Women’s Wear Daily, and The New York Times Magazine.
PLAID is the culmination of the designer’s years of experience developing fits, fabrics, and washes. The line is inspired by design with a timeless quality, and strives to incorporate unique, elegant, and understated details to classic silhouettes.
A fashionable addition to the world of denim, the Denim Legging (or “Jegging,” if you want to give them a ridiculous name) is something that nobody is really on the fence about; you either love them or you hate them. Unless, of course, you see the differences. To me, there are two types of Denim Leggings: the pair of jeans made in a legging-style cut, and the pair of leggings made to look like denim (think: that Niki Biki pair of hideousness that Paris Hilton decided to climb into and cover the world with disgust)… and the former really, REALLY works for me.
I received an email from Hudson Jeans about their latest pair of jeans, their “Jegging” (photo above), and I got excited to do a quick review on them. These look like the kind of denim legging up there with Current/Elliott’s “The Legging”; easy to wear, great look, fun to style and, best of all, made of DENIM, the way it should be. Here’s what they had to say:
How do you style this jean + legging hybrid? According to Ben Taverniti, head denim designer for
Hudson Jeans, “The jegging is a fashion essential this season because it provides the comfort of the legging and chic design of the jean. It’s something that is very easy to wear and goes with anything in your cloest. To dress up your new
jeggings, wear them with Christian Louboutins or dress them down with a beat up pair of Converse tennis shoes. You can wear them with a tank top or a more dressy top, a canvas bag or a Balenciaga. The jegging gives your look an edge, no matter how you style them.”
In case you’re not familiar with Hudson, the collection was founded in Los Angeles in 2002 and are best known for unparalleled fit and craftsmanship, the iconic union jack logo and signature triangle flap back pocket. Created from the best premium denim from the finest mills in Europe and Japan, all Hudson products are hand finished and tailored to be truly one-of-a-kind pieces. The line marries California Freedom with British Cool and recently launched a hot new ad campaign featuring Georgia May Jagger, the 17 year old daughter of Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall. Celeb fans include Kate Hudson, Gisele Bundchen and Sandra Bullock.
Hudson “jeggings” retail for $154.00 and are available in sizes 24-32.
So, what do you think? Would you try this look?
I think that Taverniti has the styling right – they are super versatile – and I know I’m very excited to snag a pair of these Hudsons. You’ll probably end up seeing them all over this website in outfits (and, of course, a full-on Denim Legging review!).
Love,
JP
I’ve been ranting and raving about this single fact for a while now: premium denim only goes up to 32″ waist (and sometimes, if you’re lucky, 34″). What about women of larger sizes? I’ve reviewed many brands so far, but this is a pretty awesome first!
Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, deserves a great pair of jeans. Here’s what Cookie Johnson, NBA star Magic Johnson’s wife, is doing:
Cookie Johnson, wife of NBA star Magic, is hoping her new denim line scores a slam dunk with curvy women everywhere.
Available now at Nordstrom, Johnson says she was inspired to launch Cj by Cookie Johnson because she couldn’t find jeans that worked with her own fit, but curvy, figure.
Johnson partnered with Michael Glasser, the man behind premium denim standouts Seven for all Mankind, Citizens of Humanity and Rich & Skinny.
The line, tested at three Nordstrom stores in February, did so well that it’s now being carried in more than 70 locations and is set to debut in Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale’s this September.
A graduate of Michigan State University, with a degree in Retailing of Clothing and Textiles, Johnson says there was a definite hole in the premium denim market for women with curves — women like her, who work out daily, eat healthy, but aren’t waifish size twos.
“This was my story, too” she says. “I couldn’t find jeans to fit my body. It frustrated me to try on every pair of jeans in the store and leave with nothing … Top designers were excluding this demographic.”
Cj by Cookie Johnson debuted with boot cut, straight leg, boyfriend, high-waisted and legging styles.
Prices range from $145 – $198, and styles are available in sizes 24-38. Amen to that!
Article Source
Would you wear the Cj by Cookie Johnson line? I’d like to know how the fit/fabric/washes are, but I’m glad it’s filling a much needed gap in the denim industry!
Love,
JP
These days, denim has become a staple in people’s wardrobes, and it’s certainly not just for the blue-collar workers of the past. That being said, we should probably set some “ground rules” for wearing, living with and loving denim… you know, just so everyone’s happier.
1. Double Denim will ALWAYS be a sin.
This is pretty explanatory… just don’t do it.
2. Fit is most important.
If low rises look bad on you, but you really love that pair of Frankie B. Heart of Steel jean seen on Megan Fox (oh wait, that’s me…), just say no. They might look great on her backside (see below) but on yours, they just won’t pan out. Know what works for your body and stick with it.
3. Buy what you love, not what’s trendy.
Tie-dye is in… but how long would you wear it? You’ve been staring at that pair of light acid-washed jeans for about a week now, but do they fit with the rest of your clothes? Just because it’s in fashion, doesn’t mean it’ll work with your style.
4. Quality over Quantity.
Of course, you can run to Express (or any similar place) and grab a pair of jeans for $20 on sale. Or, you could wait it out, find the really great denim sales (like any of my Denim Deal of the Day posts) and get a pair that might cost a little more, but will definitely last much, much longer.
5. Wait for sales.
Unless you live in LA and are working as a stylist, there’s nothing wrong with last season’s denim. Most styles/cuts run exactly the same, only with different washes and slight detail changes. Will you notice? Possibly… if you’re a denim fanatic like myself. But nobody else will… and this will afford you the luxury of buying a pair of amazing jeans and not having to pay a hefty price tag.
Can you think of any others that would have to be added to the list?
Love,
JP
