Heirloom denim

DESCENDANT - A/W 2010 www.descendantdenim.com

Tired of disposable denim and fashion fads? New Zealand denim brand "Descendant" named their label with a sense of respect for the environment and for those that came before, with quality clothes you'll keep to pass on. 

The designers say their name is an acknowledgement of the fact that “everything has a beginning and those that came before it”, and they put care and attention into how they create as well as what they create. The denim range is all New Zealand-made and hand-finished and they only use 100 % organic and Fair Trade certified denim, with the exception of their stretch styles, which have 1% Lycra added for comfort and fit.

Descendant takes a rather old-fashioned approach to the high quality production of its contemporary styles, with a hand-crafting element that sees the denim patches sewn onto the back of jean styles made using recycled leather.

So, let's take a glimpse at the collection, more of which you can see at www.descendantdenim.com. The produce both women's and men's wear in a similar vein; androgyneous looking streetwear with a deep dark vibe for neo goths. Best suited to the slim of leg and slender of hip, the narrow men's jeans come in dark blue and black to be paired with their screenprinted loose fit tees. For women, washes include a velvety over dyed indigo, a rinse washed jet black and an enzyme washed skinny jean that has been carefully hand sanded. Shapes are all slim, with one high-rise skinny in a super colourfast black.

The men's jean styles include a paper cut super skinny that has been hand tied at the stress points, a hand sanded finish and the “Tokyo”, a Japanese inspired cut in high grade denim with details that include contrast stitching. There is also a 100 per cent organic unbrushed fleece pant for both sexes, available in black and a soft charcoal marle.



The tee shirt collection is made using organic cotton fabrics that have been woven locally, with the exception of the bamboo cotton styles in the men's collection which were crafted in a Fair Trade certified factory in Turkey. The men's styles are all slim and long, whilst the women's styles are all cut to be worn oversized, but have added drape for a more structured yet still easy silhouette.

Our favourites are the gold metallic print of a head and a skull made of black lace; feminine and slightly vampirish. As well as tee shirts, women's top drape the body in fluid lines with a sexy ease.

Colours are sombre with shades of glacier grey, aubergine, charcoal and charcoal marle, alongside the blackest of blacks.

Below: Men's hooded parka with narrow jeans.