Pops of coloured denim | Source: mamasarollingstone.com

Blinded by Brights (On the Runway)
“The fashion world took a giant leap into color this spring, and the denim makers were still offering vintage and classic washes, and a lot of other brands were displaying murky beiges and grays. Ew. And here in the middle of everything were J Brand’s exploding fuchsia, purple, vivid turquoise, bright red and lemon yellow.”

Cost-Cutting Is Rampant in Fashion (Bloomberg Businessweek)
“Retailers realize that they don’t have much pricing power with budget-conscious consumers these days. That’s why apparel makers are turning to “deconstruction” experts like Peter Brown, who shows clients how to tear garments apart and put them back together with cheaper and fewer materials.”

Beckham plays a new game (FT)
“Clothing, in other words, is the new fragrance, but with potential not just to add to a celebrity’s bank account, but actually bestow on them a new form of professional longevity. No wonder it has just been announced that Mr Victoria Beckham wants in on the act.”

Men’s fashion gets smart (Observer)
“Every well-dressed man’s wardrobe is a tribute to the influence of great British design. Here, three leading exponents reveal the challenges of creating clothes men really want to wear.”

Angela Ahrendts: Exactly the right material (Independent)
“Angela Ahrendts, Burberry’s 50-year-old chief executive, has transformed the company since her arrival in 2006…still, there is an obvious irony about Ahrendts’ relentless drive to sell this vision of upmarket Britishness around the world – her own background isn’t particularly upmarket and it’s certainly not British.”

Jeff Rudes | Chief Executive Officer, J Brand Jeans

LOS ANGELES, United States — While preparing for our FASHION PIONEERS interview with Natalie Massenet over the summer, I had the chance to spend quite a bit of time at the stylish new Net-a-Porter offices. Apart from the funky furniture, bright airy atmosphere and technology, the other highlight of camping out at Net-a-Porter is to see what employees at the most powerful fashion e-tailer are wearing.

Without a doubt, the most ubiquitous piece of clothing at Net-a-Porter over the summer was the Houlihan trouser by J Brand Jeans, known for its low-rise and skinny cut. Everyone from Ms. Massenet herself to scores of others in her team wore the Houlihan like a defacto office uniform. Word on the street was that the Houlihan was the hottest thing running, selling out offline and online, all over the planet, racking up a staggering 200,000 pairs sold.

But of course, this is the era of fast fashion and the days of the hot Houlihan are waning. That’s okay, CEO Jeff Rudes was already thinking of his next signature silhouette ages ago. With thirty years of denim experience he’s the guy to talk to for insights on how the denim industry has exploded into one of the most important fashion categories, recession or no recession.

I caught up with Jeff on a recent trip to New York to get some lessons on the premium denim business and to get his take on where the denim market will go in seasons to come.

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J Brand's fit perfect jeans | Source: J Brand

NEW YORK, United States — As the holiday shopping season draws near, we’re watching the market for premium denim with particular interest. According to a recent article by Eric Wilson in The New York Times: “The $300 pair of designer jeans is now, courtesy of the recession, the $200 pair of designer jeans.” With this recent “market correction,” Los Angeles-based J Brand has become one of the hottest denim labels of the new world order.

While consumers have welcomed recent price reductions, many women are still willing to pay higher prices for premium jeans because they offer a sartorial flexibility that other types of clothing do not.

J Brand not only has a price point that’s in tune with difficult economic times, but they’re also bucking the downward sales trend by offering what women are looking for: versatility and emotional appeal.

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