Denim is one of the most durable natural fabrics on earth. A cotton twill textile with diagonal ribbing, denim was traditionally coloured with indigo to create ‘blue jeans’. The term ‘denim’ comes from the French town of Nîmes, as in ‘serge de Nîmes’ or a type of serge fabric from that town. ‘Jeans’, a word commonly used for trousers and other pants made from denim, is derived from the Latin word ‘jaunna’ meaning from Genoa – the place first associated with heavyweight blue material used to make clothing for sailors. The fabric has been used to make durable work pants, jackets and shirts since the late 1800s. Denim jeans and work wear proved their reliability and longevity by serving farmers, rangers, mechanics and even military servicemen who demanded the most from their clothes.
Denim proved an ideal fabric for making jackets - durable enough to withstand knocks and bumps, yet soft enough to be comfortable. Denim jackets were augmented with sheepskin and wool linings to protect workers against the cold. As a material, denim proved flexible – throughout it’s history, designers have been able to ‘reinvent’ the fabric by altering it’s colour and using different effects to offer a wider variety of styles catering to more tastes.
Also, denim jackets gained much popularity as they were embraced by a variety of fashion subcultures, particularly among young Americans. Nearly all denim clothing was banned by many American schools in the 1950s and 60s; however, denim jackets, trousers and the like managed to retain their popularity. This was partially due to the love that big screen legends such as James Dean had for jean jackets; and likely just as much to do with the fabric’s legendary ability to cope with whatever stresses it was put under by cowboys and city dwellers the world over.
The most influential maker of denim jackets is obviously Levi’s. Through the decades since the company started, there is little Levi, Strauss & Co haven’t made from denim – from the iconic Levi’s jacket to a custom-tailored tuxedo jacket made in 1951 for Bing Crosby. There are number of other clothiers who make jackets from denim in a variety of styles, shades and sizes to suit most tastes. Japanese fashion Evisu, for example, make limited edition jean jackets for the discerning designer dresser, whereas Gap make variations on the classic denim jacket for the mass market.
Box-standard, traditional denim jackets can be purchased from a plethora of department stores and high street chains as well as a wide array of online retailers. More up-market jean jackets, made by more exclusive designers, are available from a variety of boutiques, fine department stores and select online retailers throughout the UK.
© Jackets.org.uk 2008