Denim (Presentation)

The word ‘jeans’ comes from the French phrase ‘bleu de Genes’ meaning ‘the blue of Genoa’.  The denim fabric originated in Nimes, denim was the word adopted.

Denim was created by a necessity. The original fabric had a reddish color and it was created to make the soldiers tents to camp. It didn’t work because it wasn’t waterproof. Because they had a lot of yards of fabric they began doing pants. At the same time miners needed clothing that could be against water, wind, snow, etc. and denim was the perfect fit.

1800s denim enters in the commercial scene, from a partnership between  Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis, a duo from San Francisco who patented Denim for the workingman. Before long, denim became the standard uniform for Americans working in mines, on railroad tracks, on farms and on horseback. Levi was the jean of choice.

James Dean in “Rebel Without a Cause” and Marlon Brando in “The Wild One” popularized denim as a symbol of youth rebellion (denim was traditionally banned in hotels, restaurants and schools) and  Marilyn Monroe rocked them in “The Misfits,” women and girls followed her suit. Denim never leaves it only become better and adapts to fashion.