Denim Disaster?

Has the era of designer denim come to an end? Did the recession put the final nail in the coffin for the already struggling denim industry? For many, the answer is clearly yes. The high point of designer denim (not counting the 80’s of course) was 2002-2007. We saw the emergence and rise in popularity of brands like James, Paige, Citizens of Humanity, Joe’s, True Religion, and many more that are still in business to day. There was also the quick rise and fall of brands like Von Dutch and Paper Denim & Cloth. Some brands floundered and fought to stay alive for far too long, like Earl Jeans who was bought out by Nautica, then VF Corporation, and now by Jordache. Others found success by selling out to big corporations and launching their own lower priced lines like, Seven Jeans or Lucky Brand. And others struggled through the rise and fall only to succumb to our tough economic times, as is the case with the recent bankruptcy filing of Rock and Republic.

Now that designer denim has lost some of its luster, and with so many brands over-saturating the market (many offering affordable versions of their own designer lines) customers are turning away. For many fashionistas paying over $200 for a pair of jeans seems a bit absurd these days. Not to mention most denim divas, who will pay any amount for a good fitting pair of jeans, already have closets full of jeans in every wash and fit a girl could want. Plus, we can’t ignore the elephant in the room, or shall we say, leggings. The rise of leggings and other knit bottoms have significantly cut into the denim business over the last few years.

But the biggest challenge to the denim market is that denim (even designer denim) has become a wardrobe staple. Most fashionistas own at least one splurge pair of high-end denim in their wardrobe and countless other affordable and moderate brands as well. Designer denim has lost its novelty; it is no longer a unique “must have” item. The phrase “Japanese Denim Mill” used to fill any denim guru’s heart with desire and now, it just, “oh another Japanese denim brand, what’s new?” Jeans will likely always stay on trend and they will certainly continue to sell, but anyone who works in denim knows the profits and order numbers have shrunken considerably since the early 2000’s. Despite the resurgence of the jean jacket and the double denim trend, sadly the denim market is just not what it was. Denim manufacturers are going out of business, denim fabric mills are closing up shop and the market is flooded with denim designers looking for work. While the average consumer may not notice a huge difference at their local retailer the impact on the business side is undeniable.

So what do you think, will designer denim make a comeback anytime soon? Will denim brands continue to go belly up? Do you have plans to buy more denim this season? Are there any denim brands that you are particularly excited about?