As the emphasis on fashion moves to more versatile, comfortable styles, CEO Consult takes a look at how jeans fit perfectly into this trend, as seen in the collections shown in the London, Milan and Paris Spring/Summer 2021 fashion weeks.
Denim seems to be enjoying a new lease on life, with designer jeans showcased during the fashion weeks, highlighting how they can be easily worn while still engendering onlookers’ admiration. The creative, bold patchwork of colours displayed the power of denim to be worn in ultramodern and unconventional ways. At the same time, the classic, timeless look of traditional denim fits easily alongside the new trends.
Collections included those by Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli, who partnered with Levi’s to embrace casual elegance through reimagining Levi’s popular 1960’s 517 boot cut. To update this look, and to bring both brands together, Piccioli redesigned the bottom of the bootcut, widening it so it could show off the chunky footwear styles of 2021, including Valentino’s famous Rockstud shoes which have returned with bolder studs for 2021.
Other denim looks on display were those by Les Copains, whose styles featured simple, accessible denim. Boot-cut, relaxed-fit and straight-fit jeans were all shown as ideal pairings for the brand’s sweaters, tanks, shirts and blouses.
Tribute was also paid to the slouchy, vintage look, with the Zadig & Voltaire collection featuring jeans of faded denim and undone hems, and Paco Rabanne pairing faded loose-fit blue jeans with gold-sequin and leopard-print pieces. Loose proportions were also featured by Balenciaga, who introduced a pair of genderless, loose-fit blue jeans featuring an extravagant high rise and secured with a basic belt, balanced by a shirt with sleeves extending beyond the model’s fingers.
While Joie’s collection was influenced by the tropics and highlighted light dresses and tops, denim still found a place, with vintage-inspired blue jeans and cut-offs.
Jeans were also a part of Victoria Beckham’s collection, where she applied her signature tailored look to denim, with a pair of denim trousers that displayed sharp creases and deep cuffs, and a flared jean that featured contrasting denim fabrics. However, the vintage, worn denim look was not uncommon, and Alanui paid homage to the Southwest by showing worn-looking denim pieces. These included straight-fit, mid-tone jeans bearing a slightly dirty look for men, and, for women, pale-washed cropped jeans and a denim dress sporting a frayed hem.
Chloe’s collection included fluid, wide-leg jeans which had a youthful feel. The front seams gave the jeans a solid, functional feel, keeping them out of the loungewear area.
Firmly in the loungewear area was Dior, with elegant denim working with soft wrap jackets and flowing trousers for loungewear-inspired silhouettes. These indigo pieces displayed trapunto edging, homogenous tie-dyes as well as prints from previous scarf motifs and were paired with the brand’s classic white shirts, which were updated with bib detail and sharp cuffs.
Lutz Huelle’s classic white shirts were also updated—this time with shoulder pads. Although elastic-waisted pyjama-looking pieces have become Huelle’s “Le Pyjama Rose” collection, denim has not been left out. Re-interpreted jean jackets and tiered midi skirts made from three types of denim make important appearances in this collection.
Denim also entered the stage as reworked, updated trench coats. Burberry’s iconic Gabardine trench received a denim facelift with a Trucker jacket bodice, shown off in the forest where the show was staged. The blue-hued collection also featured wader-look boots made from denim.
Olivier Rousteing, the creative director of Balmain, stayed close to his well-known boldness by offering a women’s jean jacket with strong shoulders.
Although Rousteing had previously shown embellished and heavily distressed denim, this year he brought simple shapes that impacted the label’s denim collection. Pieces harked back to the ‘90s by including skinny, indigo boot-cut jeans, an oversized denim motorcycle jacket and a denim trench coat.
Colour and streetwear influences were not completely overshadowed by denim blues, however.
Philosophy Di Lorenzo paid homage to quarantine pursuits such as gardening and painting. Jeans and chinos were decorated with colourful brush marks, while the quarantine theme was brought together with accessories like rubber boots and a floppy bucket hat.
Another colourful display was provided by Each x Other. Their unisex garments took a somewhat psychedelic approach with colourful scribbles and doodles adorning their jeans.
On a more subtle note, Alberta Ferretti’s denim pieces appeared to emanate pale neon glows reminiscent of Italian summers. Rolled jeans and a zip-up jacket fit loosely, while pink, green and yellow were allowed to feature in a classic mini skirt.
More vivid in colour were Ami’s indigo pieces. This French brand used wheat-coloured stitches to give their collection a touch of workwear. Wide-leg jeans, a cropped jean jacket and button-down shirts all showed a clear sheen with a violet-tinted cast, enhancing the purple gingham relaxed suiting.
Even more purple was Kenzo’s head-to-toe denim. Streetwear features included cargo pockets, zipper details and a matching bucket hat. Purple continued with Heron Preston’s collection, whose workwear-inspired pieces were made from overdyed purple denim, with tan and indigo used liberally throughout. One particularly noticeable piece featured a monochromatic patchwork.
Li Ning ’s show used DOKU, a non-binary cyber character, to portray the fluidity of his collection in a virtual setting. Denim fisherman vests and jackets and cargo jeans provided glimpses of the workwear theme that was softly embedded within the collection.
Londoner Martine Rose’s show used a subversive lens to look at masculinity. She paired some short retro soccer shorts with jean jackets featuring an orange-peel texture, while karate belts cinched others. Through her lens we saw pieces like a graphic man dragging on a cigarette on a pair of men’s jeans that were topped off with a lace-trimmed silk camisole.
Gender was also tested by Koche. While sloppy jeans drooped to show off the boxers underneath, and long jean shorts looked like those worn by men in the ’90s, these pieces of denim masculinity were topped with contradictory shirts, many trimmed with ruffles and lace.
Vaquera’s collection included unisex jeans but also experimented with lingerie by pairing racy, exaggerated pieces with huge T-shirts. The hems of jeans added a twist, and jackets, skirts and vests used denim to experiment with volume and proportions.
Sustainability could also be glimpsed in the 2021 collections, with Reuben Selby’s 14-look streetwear collection including showed denim cargo trousers and shorts. To make their statement of essentialism and sustainability, the pieces were made from organic-cotton denim and Infinited Fiber, which is derived from recycled cellulose-rich waste such as discarded textiles, cardboard and straw.
Although Y-Project had gotten into sustainability during quarantine, they have since moved on. Their 2021 collection included a crystal-emblazoned deep-v waistband and an acid-wash denim bustier, showcasing the extremities of denim as opposed to its sustainability.
Luca Montaldo, the Managing Director of CEO Consult, was not surprised to see that, for the most part, the season’s denim fashion is comfortable, practical and easy to wear. While some brands were determined to ensure that their denim is worn to be seen, such as Y-Project’s crystals and Givenchy and Philipp Plein’s dye effects and coatings, most pieces displayed denim’s ability to make a statement while still being streetwise, workable and wearable.
