10 On-the-Rise Denim Labels to Know Inline
Photos: Courtesy of B Sides1/10B Sides
What to know: Online vintage shop Where I Was From has a cultish following of cool women—ergo, it should come as no surprise that a denim spin-off project, B Sides, is on-point. Claire Lampert and Stacy Daily rework vintage Levi's to patchworked perfection, so practice your "oh this old flea-market find?" nonchalance now.
Where to find it: Assembly New York, No. 6, Kinobi, Need Supply Co.
Photos: Courtesy of Assembly New York; Courtesy of 692/1069
What to know: For those who would take their jeans with a goodly dose of the avant-garde (and an even goodlier dose of play), look no further than 69. Since launching a few years back, the L.A.-based label has specialized in post-gender denim pieces and oversize shapes that have earned it a staunch following from those in the know.
Where to find it: Opening Ceremony, Assembly New York
Photos: Courtesy of Goodhood3/10Aries
What to know: Aries crystallized in 2012, the brainchild of Sofia Maria Prantrera and Fergus Purcell, a veritable cornucopia of pop references, from punk to skate to street. Their graphic shirts have already enjoyed a certain amount of limelight, but denim is the real star for this London brand. Case in point: patched-up boyfriend jeans and boilersuits—their boxy cut is among the best we've found.
Where to find it: Matches Fashion, Goodhood
Photos: Courtesy of Tortoise; Courtesy of Matches Fashion4/10Tortoise
What to know: Traditional denim-washing techniques are anything but environmentally friendly—enter Tortoise. This Los Angeles brand from Lukus Eichmann and Erynn Feldman specializes in artfully distressed pairs and jackets that are earning it a fast-growing fan base.
Where to find it: Matches Fashion, Barneys New York
Photos: Courtesy of Totokaelo5/10Chimala
What to know: Chimala is no new addition to the denim landscape. The workwear-focused Japanese label has been a favorite among hard-core jean junkies for years, though price tags hovering well above $400 have prohibited it from going mainstream. But with a Jenna Lyons endorsement (she's frequently lensed wearing one of the brand's cropped styles) and a spot in both Madewell and J.Crew's Web stores, its stock is rising. Heavyweight, handcrafted by Japanese artisans, and unlike any other pair in your closet, trust us when we say this is a jean that will stand the test of time.
Where to find it: Madewell.com, JCrew.com, Totokaelo, Mill Mercantile
Photos: Courtesy of Tu Es Mon Trésor6/10Tu Es Mon Trésor
What to know: Rihanna's been spotted wearing Tu Es Mon Trésor on more than one occasion, but we'd humbly suggest that this luxe Japanese brand is more good girl than Bad Girl. Expect the most coquettish of embellishments: pearls, bows, rhinestones, and all manner of delightful flou.
Where to find it: Avenue 32, Moda Operandi, Colette, Farfetch, and Browns.
Photos: Getty Images; Courtesy of Sorelli Presents7/10Sorelli Presents
What to know: There's a shop in Hollywood with no name. It's the digs of director-cum-boutique owner and all-around creative catalyst Juju Sorelli, and it's known as The Evil Rock N Roll Cat. There Sorelli sells DIY'd denim jackets that call to mind youthful rebellion of all kinds, from the Germs' Darby Crash to Karlheinz Weinberger's shots of Swiss punks in the '50s. It's also the sole home of JFO, Imitation of Christ cofounder Matthew Damhave's latest project. (Damhave is part of Sorelli's cadre of talented friends that includes Jaime King, pictured, and Abbey Lee Kershaw.) The patchworked jeans are all hand-sewn by Damhave, who's dubbed the resulting aesthetic "punk Holly Hobby."
Where to find it: Sorellipresents.com, The Evil Rock N Roll Cat (1608 North Las Palmas Avenue, Los Angeles)
Photos: Courtesy of Amo; Courtesy of Intermix8/10Amo
What to know: Amo, the brainchild of Kelly Urban and Misty Zollars, launched for Spring '15 and has been building buzz ever since. The brand's covetably, convincingly vintage-inspired styles and dreamy, lived-in washes are the stuff of a denimhead's fondest desires.
Where to find it: Intermix, Forward by Elyse Walker, The Line, Moda Operandi
Photos: Courtesy of Simon Miller9/10Simon Miller
What to know: Simon Miller designers Daniel Corrigan and Jake Sargent are in the midst of ambitiously expanding their ready-to-wear offerings, but they've also made some winning steps where the veteran denim brand's jeans are concerned. Fall's styles came perfectly cut and patched in military-inspired wool. And with Barneys as a recent addition to their roster of stockists, we're wagering you'll see more of Simon Miller in the seasons to come.
Where to find it: Matches Fashion, Barneys New York
Photos: Courtesy of Denham10/10Denham
What to know: Jason Denham founded Amsterdam's Denham back in 2008. Since then, the label's become synonymous with an attention to detail and rich, multidimensional washes. Though it has yet to make a splash stateside, with four stores in Amsterdam and three internationally, we're holding our breath for Denham to open its doors in New York.
Where to find it: denhamthejeanmaker.com
