When Nevada tailor Jacob W Davis first created a pair of denim work pants reinforced with copper rivets back in 1873, he could hardly have predicted the impact it would have on the modern wardrobe. Rugged and practical, their mottled blue wash is the perfect shade for hiding dirt and stains, jeans have since been adopted as the preferred uniform choice for everyone from gold miners to Hollywood cowboys and movie stars. rock. They have become so ubiquitous that even areas that were once strictly denim-free are relaxing their dress codes: Annabel’s in Mayfair now allows “smart” jeans to be worn, as long as they are “a solid color and in good condition.”
“Denim was long associated with hard manual labor, and had real class connotations,” says Emma McClendon, fashion historian and author of Denim: the frontier of fashion. In fashion, denim has often been used to subvert traditional clothing, he adds. It fascinates because “on the one hand, it is incredibly homogenizing,” but on the other it is a “chameleon,” which takes on different meanings depending on how it is used.
Today, semi-formal denim is a staple. “Whenever I’m getting someone ready for a press conference or a low-key event, I always have denim on the rack,” says stylist Rose Forde, who works with Cillian Murphy and recently dressed actor Franz Regowski in dark jeans and a black leather jacket to attend Saint Laurent’s AW24 men’s show. “It’s cool, it’s sexy, it’s effortless.”
The joy of designing denim lies in its versatility. A pair of straight-leg stonewashed blue jeans with a white T-shirt suggests a casual attitude; Pairing them with a cropped jacket, brown leather loafers and bright colored socks looks elegant with an edgy touch. “I’ve always loved the double denim look,” says Nicolai Marciano, creative director of the newly relaunched Guess Jeans label, which uses innovative eco-friendly technology to recreate the stonewashed look. “I don’t think it will ever go out of style.”
Designer luca faloni, known for its stylish Italian-made basics, creates tapered styles in dark blue that are perfect for upgrading. “I wanted our jeans to have a clean, minimalist design so they could be worn for more formal occasions if needed,” he says. Their denim shirts, which feature mother-of-pearl buttons and their signature one-piece saddle collar, also lend themselves to dressier occasions. “I always recommend sticking to one denim piece for a timeless look,” he says. “Pair jeans with a smart shirt, jacket and shoes and wear a stylish belt to elevate your overall look.”
Whatever your preference, the trick to making denim look stylish is to make sure it fits perfectly, says Forde. “Something I learned about 15 years ago is how to tailor jeans. As long as it fits you, you can’t go wrong.”
Loro Piana Spagna cashmere and cotton denim jacket, £3,955. me cotton shirt, £285. channel Cotton jeans, £320 and viscose scarf (around the neck), £230.
Guess Jeans oversized cotton denim jacket, £101, slim cotton denim shirt, £76 and straight cotton denim trousers, £76. Polo Ralph Lauren braided leather belt, £110. Crockett & Jones Finchley 2 Horsebit leather loafers, £570. panther cotton socks, £16. Tiffany and company White gold Lock bracelet, £7,400
Jacob Cohen cotton denim jacket, £530 and cotton jeans, £325. Polo Ralph Lauren cotton shirt, £269 and braided leather belt, £110. Alex Doherty silver pendant necklace, £230 and silver bracelet (on left wrist), £265. Tiffany and company White gold Lock bracelet (on right wrist), £7,400. Omega De Ville Prestige steel watch, £4,800
Polo Ralph Lauren wool jacket, £849. luca faloni cotton denim shirt, £160, and cotton jeans, £150. solar spell cotton t-shirt, £90. Genevieve Sweeney cotton socks, £18. Crockett & Jones Finchley 2 Horsebit leather loafers, £570. Alex Doherty silver pendant necklace, £230. Tiffany and company White gold Lock bracelet, £7,400
Armani Cotton and silk jacket from the Denim collection, £1,500. Paul Smith cotton shirt, £375 and cotton tie, £120. Filippa K. Cotton denim bootcut trousers, £250. Omega De Ville Prestige steel watch, £4,800. Tiffany and company White gold Lock bracelet, £7,400
Brunello Cucinelli chambray shirt, £530 and silk tie, £210. luca faloni Cashmere jumper, £295. me cotton jeans, £305. panther cotton socks, £16. Crockett & Jones Finchley 2 Horsebit leather loafers, £570. Goossens palladium Boucle bracelet (above), £300. Tiffany and company White gold Lock bracelet, £7,400. Longines Conquest Heritage Central Power Reserve stainless steel watch, £3,500. Alex Doherty Shy silver and diamond ring, €293.95
Cast, Tiago Martins in Ben Grimes. Model, Josef Ptacek today. Toilet, Ami Fujita using Bumble and Bumble. Digital operator, Okus Milsom. Stylist assistant, Lucía Bustillo. Taken in Control Room A, Battersea Power Station, London