"Every pair of jeans has a story behind it," shares Chris Gilbert, president of Paper Denim & Cloth, a premium denim brand. "Whether dark or light, there is an authenticity to that pair of jeans; there are unique characteristics that make each one individual."
That statement may likely explain why women can't seem to get enough of denim, despite an all time high ownership of jeans. According to data from the Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor, women have an average of 18 denim garments in their wardobe, which is up notably from 14 garments in 1994, the year the Monitor first began its research.
"The denim market has been so strong for the past few years and that largely reflects the fact that women love it," surmises Claire Dupuis, denim specialist for Cotton Incorporated. "There are many different types of jeans in a variety of blues; there are office jeans, dinner jeans, Saturday jeans, everyday jeans - and they can all be dressed up or down."
"The darker hues have been particularly strong the past fwe years," considers Sude Dellinger, owner of Sude, a line of fashion forward shops in Manhattan. "But that's not to say that lighter jeans don't have their place. I think women definitely keep a denim wardobe for a variety of occasions; ghenerally they have the darker for the evening and the lighter for the day."
It's also defined by the seasons, as Brett Matthew, manager of the Denim Lounge, a boutique in Chicago, attests. "Right now, it's all about the darker shades as we head into fall. For spring, we buy lighter since that's what the customer seems to want for that season."
That may explain why retailers carry variety of options from the deepest of ocean blues to the palest of sky blues, considering that every hue boasts a purpose. "Our customer wears her darker denim to the office with a shrunken blazer and out at night with a feminine top. On the weekends, she pairs her lighter clolored denim with a cozy sweater," offers Sean Krebs, spokeperson for Gap.
"It's definitely about maintaining a range of collors available in your denim wardrobe. We like to think that there are dinner jeans and daytime jeans," agrees Paper Denim & Cloth's Gilbert.
And whether that denim is dark or pale, fashion experts agree that blue is the hue that counts in mordern denim. "it isn't about the other colors or green casted shades in denim right now. It's all about the blues," continues Gilbert.
"Blue, blue, and blue," declares Cotton Incorporated's Dupuis. "It's all about the colors in the blue family."
In that vein, Gap has released its denim color chart for fall, which relies on variations of tried and true blue. "The most popular colors and washes are Dark Vintage, Faded Vintage, Blasted Vintage and Crosshatch," relates Krebs.
"I would say most women will be choosing a pure indigo," affirms Gilbert of Paaper Denim & Cloth, when pressed as to what the average womanwould select if allowed only one new pair.
Nearly 39% of female respondents confided to the Monitor that the color of their next denim purchase would be medium blue. The second most popular color choice was dark blue with 24.2%, followed by light blue with 16.9%.
Denim details and te finishes count as well, states Krebs. "For this fall, Gap paid special attention to detailing on our jeans to make them feel as great as that favorite pair of jeans that you already have in your closet. We really worked on finishing touches that make our jeans feel comfortable and look cool, such as worn in details on the pocket edges."
"We're seeing a vintage tattering in every brand for that familiar and lived-in feel." agrees The Denim Lounge's Matthew, who shares that her top selling brands of the moment include Hudson, True Religion and Miss Sixty. "Our customers are looking at the buttons and pockets."
Adds Gilbert, "We're definitely looking to add some distressing to Paper Denim & Cloth's jeans for fall. It gives them a softer, more lived in feel."
And it's important to keep the colors true to their origins for most consumers, states Sude's Dellinger. "I think women want to keep the color that they are buying, particularly if it's a medium or darker blue; they're not looking to age the fabric. They're even dry cleaning their denim to maintain the color and look."
Gilbert also offers some tips for keeping denim's color integrity. "Obviously, fewer washes are best if you are concerned with the original color. Cold water is a must. But bear in mind that denim will age with its own time and create its own look."
It's that propriety look, anyway, that women really want - aside from great fit - in their jeans. And if jeans do lose some color, no big deal. Nearly nine out of ten female consumers surveyed by the Monitor said they were not bothered by the fact that denim jeans tend to fade.
In the end, a great pair of jeans is like a true blue friend - and you can never have too many either! - wwdthursday