Home (all) Welcome to DENHAM the Jeanmaker´s website. Each card reveals a story which represents one facet of Denham´s vision. Categorised by the collection, garment library, studio & stores, to press reports & the birth of the Cutter´s Council. Designed in time with no beginning nor end, through resourceful innovation and fearless experimentation. It´s a decorated blog. A tailor-made homepage. We hope to fascinate but are equally prepared to frustrate.
The blogs recently helped tell the world about our soon-to-arrive Spring 2012 Collection by leaking news of the upcoming Advisor Parka "Inspired-By James Lavelle" Edition which is one of the centerpieces of the new line. Since that cat is already out of the bag we can also start sharing some information of our own.
Inspiration for the new collection merges two different aspects of the culture of Indochina. On one hand we explored the indigenous indigo traditions which are deep and rich. On the other hand we dug into the military garments and patterns which became culture icons as a result of the region's regrettable history of conflict.
On the hunt for relevant vintage pieces which could trigger our own idiosyncratic design process we headed over to Thailand to the humungous Chatuchak Weekend Market. While there we sat with traders of handwoven indigo fabrics from the Hmong tribes as well as the folks running military vintage stalls which populate an enormous portion of the market. We came back to the studio with remarkable examples of both local indigo-tradition workwear and vintage military designs. The trip was the perfect to kick-off to the Spring 2012 design process.
Before we created we collected.
But we collect not just to acquire; we collect to examine, analyze, and to learn. Decades in the making, the DENHAM GARMENT LIBRARY supplies the raw material for our research, design and development. We can’t benefit from tailoring traditions unless we understand them better, and new ideas crumble if they’re not built on a strong foundation. Each item in the library tells a story and each one represents a starting-point for our collections.
Jason Denham’s single-minded obsession with denim is the primary inspiration for the brand. His conviction that deep knowledge comes with extensive research is central to the whole studio’s design approach. The label’s own growing archive is home for an expansive collection of archetypal jean models as well as workwear, military clothing and travel gear from the last century all the way up until today.
We know our predecessors, our contemporaries and our competitors. We take inspiration from anyone and any place producing relevant ideas but we’re never content simply to reproduce someone else's approach even if that person's name has been safely lost to history. The research feeds our passion and our passion is to progress our tradition ever forward.
WORSHIP TRADITION. DESTROY CONVENTION