Acne Studios Editorial: Democracy of Denim

On the Acne Studios website there is an excellent written editorial called the Democracy of Denim that I think everyone, whether a Denim Head, Denim Connoisseur or just someone who loves jeans, should read. The column is in it's entirety below but be sure to visit the Acne Studios website for more great insights. 

-Enjoy

In a time of an American presidential election, it never fails to surprise that the voice of so few can affect the decisions of millions. A comedy skit on Saturday Night Live is more likely to inspire the tick in  the box than hours of debate, and will ultimately lead to four years of a political trend. 

Now it is not to say that jeans and presidents are comparable, of course, but the democracy of the system relates too to the democracy of denim. A clever campaign, or the adoption of a style by stylish public figures, can result in one denim shape dominating our legs for a season or longer. 

It may seem that the skinny jean has been voted the most popular jean shape for generations, but while the skinny had it’s moments in the 60s, 70s and 80s, it was only when modern style icons such as Chloe Sevigny and Bambi-limbed models, stomped out in achingly narrow denim in the early part of the 21st Century, that the skinny revolution began. Where it will end is anyone’s guess, but like the ideal candidate, the skinny has learned and evolved, swapping low waists for high and dark washes for light. It has had its moments of defeat however. For a time, public favour swung to a flare cut – the wider the better. Then the traditional straight-cut and boot-cut shapes gained momentum, after sitting for so long on the backbenches, while the boyfriend jean suddenly became sexier than something tighter. It looked like a looser backlash had began, but instead it opened the door for compromise. 

Everybody has a denim shape that suits them, usually discovered after much deliberation and debate. It is a choice and not a dictatorship. Just because magazines are pushing one look as the look of the season, doesn’t necessarily mean that they are right or that they should be listened to. Denim is a personal choice and the Democracy of Denim will never mean ‘anything goes’, but it always means that ‘anything goes for you’. 

At ACNE, there are no wrong choices, whether you want the wider A-Pant when everyone is wearing the skinny Hex, or opt for the Hex when others are wearing the super-relaxed Generic Girl. ACNE know that everyone has their favourite shapes which is why, regardless of trends, they have them all up for election.