A Whiter Shade of Pale

October 23, 2017 Jill Lawrence

White denim is hot hot hot for summer. It need not be just white. Take blue out of white with edge spray, or white out of blue with 3D edge effects.

Sculpted clean cuts give white denim a different attitude. Not always relaxed, ripped, repaired and degraded - rigid white denims can be crisp and clean for summer in the city chic.

Ripping, repairing and playing with white coatings lend dimension and interest to an otherwise bland white twill surface. Use the white jean as a canvas for self expression.

Composite Image ©TheDenimEye L-R: ©PRPS ©XIMONLEE ©Zara

Pigment white spray onto indigo - highlight the edges and question the body- is it blue? is it grey? is it white? Whatever it is it adds attitude and intrigue.

Pale Attitude

October 16, 2017 Jill Lawrence

Greenish indigo - an amazing colour for summer lending real attitude to all things fashion.

Pale indigos and metallic coateds. Silver + pale blue = fresh, urban, optimistic.

Lazer print impressions of degrade are intriguing. Pieced and patched indigo denims using the backside instead of bleach out. Anything goes.

Clockwise from Top Left: ©Saint Laurent, ©Off White, ©Kenzo Denim, ©Zara

Mix different washes and different textures in one garment, highlighting areas for shape and effect. Piece and patch for unique patchwork effects.

See how fine weave and chambray work in perfect harmony by piecing light and lighter shades as a design feature in this fisherman's parka from MiH-jeans.com

Pretty Pales

October 9, 2017 Jill Lawrence

Pale frills and flounces are a staple style for summer denim shirts. Looking prettier in the lightest chambray cotton or tencel for extra drape and bounce.

L-R: ©Maison Manila ©Paloma Lira Helena ©Carla Fernandez Angelica

The denim dress - a must for hot days in graduated shades of pale indigo. Mix and accessorise with pretty colours and effects so that the silhouette isn't all about indigo denim.

Prints and clipped weave jacquards bring prettiness into the arena of mens denim shirts as well as for women in indigo textures and patterns in paler washes.

Gathered fullness and colour degrade float the different levels of pretty and palest indigo chambrays into long dresses. With finest and softest fibres as well as different levels of shade indigo has boundless potential for summer wear.

Trend Alert: Lighter Shade of Pale

October 2, 2017 Jill Lawrence

Light washes and lighter shades of indigo have found it difficult to achieve the same level of interest as their darker cousins and have not stood the "being loved for long" test. Things have now changed. We no longer just use bleach to lighten we have many more tricks to create edgy pale hued denim jeans.

The shade starts dark so with chemicals and tints we carve out exciting new lighter shades leaving 3D highs and lows at the seams and focus areas; we use sulphur tints to change the cast of the shade; we heavily wear out areas of interest in the garment as well as ripping and repairing to add dimension; with paler shades we naturally have the impression of wearing an "old friend" so ripping with no repairing even leaving giant holes looks real. All of this is laundry work but the start denim must be substantial enough to withstand the artificial wear and tear as well as be made in 100% indigo shade such that the result is clean, clear, almost pretty.

Scraped and spayed pretty blues for the garment body leaving 3D high/low effects at the edges and seams; false tacked up hems which, when let down after spray, create decorative effects to further add dimension to the worn in effect. Myriad levels of light indigo achieve varying levels of interest in different textured denims - pre-shrunk; STF ( Levi) shrink to fit effect; flat finished smooth effect as well as with different textured constructions from crunchy plain weaves and dobbies to smooth sateens and twills.

Composite Image ©TheDenimEye Top Left: ©Amelia Lindquist ©UMagazine

Texture and differentiated indigo shades offer opportunities for design intrigue, fabric combing and clever cutting. The crackled texture of pre-shrunk or STF denim finishing cut and combined in new wider shapes take paler denim to a classier level of denim fashion. Whilst pretty green casted indigos and sulphur aqua blues are edgy and cool.

Composite image ©TheDenimEye L: ©Faustine Steinmetz

Splash and sponged bleached out pattern effects are summer camouflage with crush and creased effects in lightweights. Start with dark indigo and bleach out to white with tie dye technique or sponge effects. Or start with white undyed denim and work in with dark indigos or sulphur dyes.

Combine light with dark; clever cut the jeans for super creative effect; play with shade, texture and the use of high low 3D finish effects at waist and hem.