Record-setting denim donation to help homes hit by disasters

More than 33,000 items of old denim — jeans, hats and jackets — were sent to Washington in a recycling effort that will benefit disaster-struck homes, officials said.

National Geographic Kids magazine encouraged readers to donate their old denim instead of throwing it away.

The resulting 33,088 pieces of denim clothing set a world record, verified Wednesday by a representative from Guinness World Records, according to the magazine’s blog.

The thousands of pairs of jeans, which are on display at Union Station for two weeks, will be turned into housing insulation for homes affected by natural disasters. According to the magazine, there will be enough material to provide insulation for 60 houses.

The jeans will be turned over to Cotton Inc., which collects used denim for natural fiber insulation made without carcinogens or chemical irritants. Paula Rosario, vice president of consumer marketing for the company, said that the new record “certainly attests to the civic-mindedness of today’s children.”

The ceremony unveiling the denim display also honored 9-year-old Erek Hansen, who collected nearly 1,700 jeans. The elementary school student from Curtice, Ohio, said that his friends and classmates “were happy to help the environment.”

Hansen donated five pairs of his own outgrown jeans. The display also includes a pair from actor Ben Stiller.

via CNN

Do it Yourself: Denim iPhone Case!

Go to Instructables for full details on how to make your own DIY Denim iPhone Case.

Skinny jeans still rule the premium denim market

Some say there aren’t enough imaginative ideas in the category, but the ever-present skinny is still very popular — and usually expensive.

A major factor in the success of premium denim has been its ability to spark trends — big ideas in silhouettes and washes that eventually trickle down to the mass retailers of the world.

Still, some L.A. retailers say there aren’t enough imaginative ideas surfacing within the category. Fraser Ross, owner of the Kitson stores, said the big premium brands tend to copy each other — resulting in a glut of the same styles. “Everyone did the ripped, bleached and tie-dye thing for fall,” he said.

For fall, and even spring 2010, most of L.A.’s premium players are pushing the same two silhouettes: the ubiquitous skinny jean and the low-slung baggy (often rolled) boyfriend-fit jean that debuted a few seasons ago.

“What we’ve seen is skinny become mass now,” said Marc Crossman of Joe’s Jeans, adding that the brand’s boyfriend jean will be slimmed down slightly for fall.

At J Brand, the skinny is losing weight. “There’s a real turn toward [denim] leggings in the industry — having a super-sleek silhouette,” said Susie Crippen, co-founder and creative director, who designed a stretchy jeans legging for fall in a super lightweight denim with a 10-inch leg opening.

“Skinnies are still so strong,” said Colin Dyne, president and chief executive officer of premium denim and sportswear brand William Rast. “And the men’s business has turned into a straight-leg business [as opposed to boot-cut.]“

The brand, co-founded by Justin Timberlake, will lengthen the rise on women’s skinnies — making them slightly more body-friendly — and is experimenting with metal studding and other low-key embellishments for fall and holiday.

“Skinny, for us, will always be who we are,” said Michael Ball of Rock & Republic. “I’m not really into the whole baggy thing.”

Skinny styles remain red-hot in urban markets despite the fact that they flatter only a small segment of the population. Look inside any American high school and you’ll see bodies of all sizes stuffed into stretch-denim skinny jeans.

In L.A. — a city awash in willowy physiques — the narrow silhouette is rivaled only by the boyfriend.

L.A.-based TV writer Shawn Simmons, who wears straight-leg Levi’s exclusively, said he has “no idea what premium denim is,” but added that his wife, Christine, buys skinny and boyfriend jeans from Barneys New York (which largely stocks premium brands). The couple buys denim for their 2-year-old son, Flynn, at Lucky Brand, where kids’ jeans can range up to $69, but are often on sale for half that.

Premium denim fan Michelle Dalton Tyree, founder and president of L.A. public relations firm Blab Communications, wears skinny J Brand jeans religiously, though this summer she’s been mixing the fitted pant with boyfriend-fit jeans from Current/Elliott, “which get ‘oohs’ from other women, but snickers from the older crowd who shake their heads in confusion about how much I’ve paid [around $230] to have holes in my jeans,” she said.

But Tyree isn’t about to invest heavily in pricey kids’ jeans for her 6-year-old daughter Layla — she scours mid-priced stores including the Gap for cute styles.

“Layla recently fell in love with a very hip little pair of jeans at Oilily and I splurged because they were funky, cool and, yes, on sale,” she said. “As much as I love fashion, I can’t bring myself to spend $140 on a pair of jeans for a 6-year-old.”

via LA TIMES

Katie Holmes……Fashion Designer?

Katie Holmes can dress Suri as cute as a button – but what about the rest of us?

Tom Cruise’s high-profile wife is whipping up her own fashion label with her stylist, Jeanne Yang, to debut this fall exclusively at high-end boutique Maxfield in Los Angeles, WWD reports.

The Holmes & Yang premium designer line will include women’s wear inspired by Holmes’ own classic sense of style, plus a children’s line modeled after her trend-setting tot.

Holmes & Yang have already collaborated on a couple of designs, including the white strapless jumpsuit Holmes wore last year to the premiere of “All My Sons” on Broadway that scored mixed reviews.

This is the latest in the many hats Holmes has worn, from an acclaimed turn on Broadway to running the New York City Marathon and hoofing a cameo on “So You Think You Can Dance.”

Perhaps a turn on designer reality shows “Project Runway” or “Top Design” isn’t far behind?

via NYDailyNews