DenimHunt

WWD May 14th Issue back cover*

There is a topic that comes up every time I have a conversation about denim -jeans specifically. That topic is, when do jeans, stop being jeans.

Let me explain. Traditionally denim is a 100% cotton, indigo-dyed, 2x1 right hand twill. In other words, it doesn't stretch and it lasts forever. Prior to skinny jeans, when the premium bootcut was king, err queen, most jeans would have, at most, 2% stretch. This allowed the denim to conform a little better to the body without taking away the core traits.

Fast forward 10+ years, skinny jeans reign supreme and jeggings are a closet staple. The body-skimming nature of the skinny naturally requires more stretch for technical purposes such as butt-lifting and tummy-flattening, not to mention comfort. However, what began as a practical purpose has spun so far out-of-control that I can't see it as anything but a cost-cutting measure that cheapens the quality of some jeans and teeters on the edge of what can actually be considered denim.