10 Under-the-Radar Denim Brands You Need to Know Now
The word "essential" gets thrown around quite a bit in the fashion world, but jeans are it—they truly are an integral part of any wardrobe. So when you head back to school this year, why not stand out from the rest in a unique pair of blues? We're here to help with styling advice straight from today's coolest denim designers (many of whom you've probably never heard of!).
Whether you're a light-wash kind of girl or someone who goes for midnight-black studded styles, we've found the best on-the-cusp denim to wear this fall. Click through to read up on all the best need-to-know brands!
1/11Say hello to fall's best new fits and washes—with styling tips from the designers themselves!
2/11<a href="http://us.mih-jeans.com/womens-jeans/the-breathless-lauren.html" target="_blank">MiH</a>, Designed by Chloe Lonsdale
MiH, which stands for Made in Heaven, is truly all about dreamy tailored jeans with distinguished detailing. Chloe Lonsdale started the brand in 2006 after studying at Central Saint Martins, and for her, fashion’s always been in the family. "My dad started the first denim stores in the UK, and my mum was a denim model who wore jeans almost every day," she says. "I was surrounded by denim from a really young age."
Thanks to Lonsdale’s signature strategic pocket placement, MiH is known for elongating the leg. And for fall, we’re head-over-heels for the Breathless Lauren style. "It’s a cool low-rise, ankle-length skinny jean in a bleached-out wash that keeps just enough color to be a perfect transitional back-to-school pair," Lonsdale says. We also dig the zippers, the cuff, and the mini knee rip.
MiH The Breathless jeans, $235. MiH.com.
3/11<a href="http://strombrand.com/" target="_blank">Strom Brand</a>, Designed by Erika Stromqvist
Leave it to Swedish model-turned-designer Erika Stromqvist to craft the coolest long-and-lean denim. "Jeans became my obsession when I entered the modeling world," Stromqvist explains. "I was always looking for the perfect pair for castings, and I finally decided I had to make them myself!"
She searches for authentic denim with an old-school vibe, and tells us her designs are super snug at first, so breaking them in is a must. Her strongest standout style? The Poppy. "It has an over-size cuff, so you can scrunch it up to look like a leg warmer or pull it down over your shoes to make it edgier!" she says. "It’s a slightly coated black stretch twill that’s very comfortable and versatile." Flexibility + a fashion-forward silhouette = the back-to-school ideal.
Strom Poppy jeans, $242. Available at Ron Herman stores.
4/11<a href="http://frame-denim.com/" target="_blank">Frame Denim</a>, Designed by Jens Grede and Erik Torstensson
Meet the brand of recent Karlie Kloss fame. Founded in 2012, Jens Grede and Erik Torstensson set out to fuse "the quality and heritage of denim manufacturing in Los Angeles with the influence of a London style."
Frame jeans are known for holding their shape even when worn daily, and the classically-cut Le Skinny variety is on our autumn wishlist. "The Columbia Road shade is perfectly washed to a mid-blue worn-in finish with a figure-hugging silhouette that gives an incredible shape," the team explains. "Wear it with a simple shirt for pared-down perfection." Not to mention, the style’s been spotted on some of the chicest celebs around (Sienna Miller, anyone?).
Frame Le Skinny jeans, $189. Nordstrom.com.
5/11<a href="http://www.495news.com/collections/6397.php" target="_blank">6397</a>, a collective project by The News
Have you heard of The News, the New York showroom that’s launched tons of your favorite brands like Alexander Wang, Band of Outsiders, and 3.1 Phillip Lim? They’re total fashion experts, and last year the girls behind fashion’s best-kept secret decided to launch 6397 (the digits spell out "news" on a phone), which is "based on what we like to wear—a wardrobe of essential pieces."
The newsworthy (get it?) style that caught our eye is their soon-to-be signature slouchy skinnies. They consider the loose skinny jean to be their core fit, and we completely agree. "Achieving that perfect skinny-leg sag is really what we’re going for," they explain. Comfortable for fall, saggy can also be seriously cute. "The most important advice is to make sure you wear your real size and not size down. They’re meant to be a little slouchy and sit very low on your hips. Maybe even wear them a size too big so you have to wear a belt—the droopier the better!"
6397 Loose skinny jeans, $325. LaGarconne.com.
6/11<a href="http://williamsburggarment.com/" target="_blank">Williamsburg Garment Company</a>, Designed by Maurice Malone
Brooklyn’s Maurice Malone has been designing denim since the late ’80s, but Williamsburg Garment Company is new to the scene—and it’s already sold at Opening Ceremony and Need Supply Co.. Coolness factor? Verified. "When I was a teenager, I’d make jeans in my mom’s basement. I nearly destroyed her washing machine stonewashing with pumice stones," Malone says.
Now things are a little different. Working out of his studio in (where else?) Williamsburg, he crafts denim that is crisp, clean, and comes in the coolest fits. "I’d like to say our branding is anti-branding," he says. Our favorite pair is high-waisted style in true blue. "It’s my favorite denim color, and it’s still unexplored by many brands." Classic and cool: We’re totally in.
Williamsburg Garment Company Union Ave high-waisted jeans, $117. WilliamsburgGarment.com.
7/11<a href="http://3.us/" target="_blank">3</a>, Designed by Scott Morrison
Scott Morrison is another veteran designer who’s definitely not new to denim. He founded Paper Denim Cloth at 26, and then worked for Earnest Sewn before starting 3, a brand that incorporates three levels of superior design into each pair of jeans. The first level is quality. "The number of stitches per inch is important," says Morrison. "The higher the number of stitches, the better the make. The industry standard just won’t do when we’re trying to make the best jeans in the world. We decided to slow the process down, increase the SPI, and sew everything we can on a single needle sewing machine." Levels two and three are fit and design, which are evident when you see the denim.
Want to check ’em out for yourself? We recommend picking up a bold black-and-white colorblocked pair. Bonus: You can also be a part of the design process yourself at 3’s New York shop. "If you stop by our store at 15 Mercer Street, you can pick out your own buttons and rivets, and we can hem your pants to your preferred inseam," adds Morrison. Now that’s some impressive denim service.
3 Colorblock jeans, $245. 3.us.
8/11<a href="http://www.raleighworkshop.com/" target="_blank">Raleigh</a>, Designed by Sarah and Victor Lytvinenko
The husband-and-wife design team behind North Carolina-based Raleigh combine craftsmanship with clean design. The duo began designing in 2007, and turned their hobby into a full-fledged business two years later. "We built our own workshop in downtown Raleigh where we continue to design and still make most of our jeans the old-fashioned way: by hand," they explain.
Each pair of jeans has an edition number on a leather patch, signifying they’re one of a small batch—and their raw denim is definitely on our radar this fall. "Our Surry Raw jean is low-rise, skinny, super-dark raw stretch denim, so it will get softer and fit better over time," they say. "It breaks in beautifully." Raw definitely is rad.
Raleigh Surry raw jeans, $230. MillMercantile.com.
9/11<a href="http://www.blanknyc.com" target="_blank">BlankNYC</a>, Designed by Emmy Lauridsen
Blank NYC is designer denim priced to please. "I think the signature element of a Blank jean is the pant itself," says head designer Emmy Lauridsen. "We strive to achieve the best fit, quality, and trend at a reasonable price." The brand’s been making daring denim since ’07, but if you missed the boat, now’s the time to check out the simple styles with standout details that embrace individuality (think studs, piping, and the occasional print).
Our favorite pair for fall addresses the patchwork trend. "The vegan leather and seam detailing makes this style special while keeping it wearable for day or night," Lauridsen says. 24/7 on-trend denim? Yes, please.
Blank NYC The Spray on jeans, $88. BlankNYC.com.
10/11<a href="http://www.courtshop.com/index.php?cPath=11" target="_blank">Courtshop</a>, Designed by Nicole Tondre and Lisa Fuller
We love three-year-old Courtshop for their classic silhouettes that come with nice pricetags. The design team calls their jeans "wardrobe staples," which works for us—we definitely wouldn’t mind a closet full of their super cool denim!
"We’re crazy about the stretch velvet corduroy skinnies for fall," the designers tell us." They’re the coziest stretch fabric, and flattering with a natural waist fit." Produced in three jewel tones, they’re a royal flush win.
Courtshop Velvet skinny jeans, $135. Courtshop.com.
11/11<a href="http://www.jimmytaverniti.com/" target="_blank">D-ID</a>, Designed by Jimmy Taverniti
D-ID is all about quilting. Whether the wash is light or dark, the technique is central to the new brand’s identity. "I felt it was a subtle way to evolve the printed denim trend in a more sophisticated way," says Jimmy Taverniti, who’s been designing for "too many years, I don’t want to count!"
We’re obsessing over Taverniti’s latest handiwork—in particular, the NY Moto Zip. "This isn’t your basic black jean," he says. "It’s one of my favorite styles because I was able to experiment with design contrasts, creating a masculine jean with a feminine fit and giving them a vintage look without using a heavy wash." Pro tip: These stunners are also a perfect way to get in on fall’s punk trend.
D-ID NY Moto Zip jeans, $188. Bloomingdales.com .
