Denim

When was the last time you threw on a pair of JNCO's? Or a pair of acid-wash jeans? Tattered and torn, baggy, tapered, wide-legged, bell-bottomed, androgynous, and designer are all styles of jeans that have gone mainstream in America's fashion culture.

From the hippie-spirited bell-bottoms of the late 60's and 70's, to the modern designer denim, jeans have become synonymous with youth and fashion culture. The jean is an ever-evolving facet of pop culture that carries with it the spirit of rebellion and rock and roll.

Today's denim however, can be attributed to another spirit, one of materialism. A pair of designer jeans can cost a small fortune when compared to a pair purchasable at a mall, ranging anywhere from $100 to $300. The designer jeans' success has a mystique behind it, because no designer jean company has embarked on a national media advertising campaign. The success can be attributed to publicity provided by celebrities and trendsetters, or simply the well-tailored product these companies produce.

Cayman's, a local boutique, offers home furnishings, cosmetics, jewelry, men and women's clothing and, you guessed it, designer denim. Their clientele range from the ages of 15 to 85. The most popular item is currently designer denim, and the two most sought-after labels are 7 For All Mankind and True Religion.

Kristy Moody, salesperson at Cayman's, agrees that the entertainment industry has influenced their customer's purchase of designer denim.

"Despite all the press, all the stars are wearing jeans," Moody said. "The world is a little more casual these days."

Moody says designer jeans are an easy way for the trend conscious public to connect with their favorite celebrities, especially those perpetually featured in magazines wearing casual attire. Instead of buying an evening gown or designer suit, consumers can purchase designer jeans and still feel fashionable.

"They are so easy," Moody said of the jeans' accessibility. "You can just throw them on, and when you take them off you can just throw them into the corner of your closet."

7 For All Mankind, nicknamed Sevens or Seven Jeans by its customers, earned $13 million its first year on the market. The company's 2005 sales are estimated to reach $250 million. Seven's official website boasts these figures are unheard of in the designer denim industry.

Levi Strauss & Company produces denim, but their products are not considered to be designer quality. Levi's claim their company earned $4.1 billion in 2004. The company embarks on media campaigns each year, venturing into magazine ads and commercials. Levi's have become a staple in American denim culture, and left behind their status as a trend.

The entertainment industry can launch many trends, ranging from music to fashion. The Black Eyed Peas, a group that enjoys heavy rotation on MTV, scored a hit with their song, "My Humps." In the song, female singer Fergie boasts about a male who buys her gifts, singing, "Seven Jeans, True Religion, I say no, but they keep giving." Seven and True Religion are two of the most publicized designer denim labels.

The websites for some designer denim labels, such as True Religion, designate press sections that display magazine articles where their product has been featured. True Religion's jeans have graced 333 magazine articles, and sometimes appear multiple times in a single issue. The density of publicity increases the public's awareness