One of my wardrobe staples is a good denim jacket. In fact, I own several: a Levi’s Trucker Jacket, a reworked vintage piece from a London market, a Denham jacket and one by Wood Wood.
From workwear to the runway, the denim jacket has travelled remarkably far. The name denim traces its origins to the French city of Nîmes, while the blue jean was born in America. Originally adopted as durable workwear during the Californian Gold Rush, denim evolved from a practical fabric into a permanent part of the modern wardrobe. Two jackets have shaped the modern wardrobe more than any others: Lee’s Rider Jacket and Levi’s Type III Trucker Jacket.
Introduced in 1948, Lee’s Rider Jacket was designed for cowboys and rodeo riders, featuring a slimmer fit, angled chest pockets and the brand’s signature zigzag stitching. In 1962, Levi’s followed with the Type III Trucker Jacket, a shorter, more tailored silhouette that became one of the most recognisable denim jackets ever made. More than sixty years later, both jackets still influence contemporary design.
Today, luxury houses treat denim with the same precision as tailoring. At Dior, Alaïa and Chanel, denim takes on sculptural proportions, rounded shoulders and softer volumes. Rotate reimagines the trucker jacket with exaggerated sleeves and oversized proportions, while 7 For All Mankind gives the American classic a more refined, contemporary attitude. Whether worn as a jacket, a Canadian tuxedo or head-to-toe, denim has become one of fashion’s most versatile fabrics.
Denim trousers – or blue jeans – have changed just as much. Wide-leg, barrel and flared silhouettes continue to redefine everyday denim, while cigarette jeans quietly return as a slimmer alternative. Tailored denim is another key development. Cut like classic trousers, complete with pressed creases and fluid proportions, denim is no longer reserved for the weekend. It has become part of the contemporary work wardrobe.
Washes are just as important as the silhouettes. Deep indigo never goes out of style. Faded vintage blues, distressed finishes, black, grey and ice-blue washes offer alternatives. This season, white denim and barrel-leg jeans are among my favourites.
Images courtesy of Toga, Rotate, Baum und Pferdgarten, 7 For All Mankind and Arket
