DENIM REINVENTED
Denim Première Vision is back! All the denim players will be on hand for the big return of the Denim Première Vision’s physical show on October 13-14 at Superstudio Piú in Milan. WeAr asked us in advance what we foresee in terms of trends from the community of denim industrialists and expert craftsmen showcasing their Spring/Summer 23 collections. Manon Mangin, Première Vision’s denim fashion specialist was happy to give a sneak peek:
Denim has been one of the !rst textile industries to tackle eco-responsible development. Having been one of the most un-sustainable industries it is currently the leader of sustainable creations. Right now, denim is going through an evolution of !bers and upcycling is at the center of the collections. As a base, throughout our exhibitors, organic cotton, recycled cotton and recycled polyesters are being used. The recycled part stems either from post-consumer or post-industrial waste, meaning from their own factory waste or product that was sold and that factories retrieve to re-use the !bers.
In line with a more sustainable attitude, natural !bers are being used to prevent the use of traditional cotton. A lot of linen and hemp can be seen or blends of the two. Interestingly, not only for summer but also for winter collections. This is not a replacement of cotton but complements it – for example, cotton mixed with hemp. But there are also creations that look denim like, for example by Velcorex: linen pants with a denim optic. Velcorex also creates yarn out of nettles. A complete novelty is the use of Polylactide !bers, which are biodegradable natural polymers and are made from raw materials like corn, sugar beets, wheat and made from other starch rich products. Smartcel are innovative !bers based on natural cellulose, which includes a trace of zinc. Zinc has a big impact on humans’ wellbeing and is vital for our immune system, sensory functions and metabolism. The !ber is produced without the use of aggressive chemicals and made from renewable raw materials, making it eco-friendly and fully biodegradable.
Denim is reinventing itself and steps out of its comfort zone, whilst not losing its roots. Lyocell !bers give products a more casual, soft and subtle feeling, making denim more comfortable and opening it up to the world of sportswear. But denim is also heading in the opposite direction, getting ultra-sophisticated by being combined: with !bers like silk and cashmere blends.
In terms of !nishing companies are taking a water-saving and chemical-reducing (or removing) approach: laser and ozone or nebulisation are being used to create a bleached e"ect. New dyeing techniques can also be observed such as Dyepro by Calik which uses no water and produces no chemicals in the dyeing stage; or Recycrom by O"cina+39, which uses recycled clothes, !brous material and textile scraps, picking up on the upcycling and recycling trends.
As dyeing gets more natural, the color palette changes, too. As such, there is a balance between a uniform, deep blue due to the lack of deep washes and less !nishings, and earthy tones due to more sustainable washings.
Denim Première Vision will also be available online. The fashion team will hold two appointments to (re) discover the S/S 23 season: one ‘Season In#uences Denim’ Seminar and one ‘Denim Live Sourcing’ Session. To help the development of committed and responsible denim collections, Denim PV is also launching the “Smart Keys” video series with three segments to o"er the latest on the industry’s eco-advances and eco-friendly fabric innovations.
denim.premierevision.com