Denim Dudettes – a perfect street-wear companion to Denim Dudes
March 4, 2019With so much of the spotlight on dudes that love denim, Denim Dudettes is a great variation of the theme – with denimhead girls taking centre stage for a change.
Dyehouse, White Oak Cotton Mills, Greensboro, N.C, At the time the largest Denim mill in the world. Photo by H.C. White Co.
Denim goes way back
Denim is a fabric that’s been around for ages – since before the 1800s, in fact! But it has always been associated as a choice fabric of dudes. But Amy Leverton’s Denim Dudettes gives us an up-close look at the women at the centre of this trend in fashion.
Of Denimheads and Denim Dudettes
Technically speaking, “Denimheads” are people that have a love affair with denim. Their passion transcends age or culture, as it does gender and race. Curiously though, denim dudettes were always missing from any denim-related conversation, with denim dudes always featured prominently.
Until Amy Leverton brought out her inspiring book Denim Dudes – Street Style Vintage Workwear Obsession, not much media coverage was cast on the denim dudettes that also moved the world of denim.
But now, working on the companion publication, through Denim Dudettes, Amy has very consciously highlighted some of the classy ladies of the maufacturing industry, and given readers and viewers a look into the lives and styles of these ladies.
Denim Dudes, and the upcoming Women’s collection, gives us an insider’s look at how denim lovers dress and style themselves. In particular, Denim Dudettes is a great way for women street-level denimheads to catch an idea or two on how to integrate the fabric into their everyday lives.
Tatu Group members wearing denim bootcut jeans
Denim dudettes for inspiration
Some of the Women covered by Amy have stories that truly inspire women Denimheads to embrace denim as their personal fashion statement.
Erin Feniger – founder of the Rialto Jean Project (RJP)
Erin joined the ranks of the denim dudettes when she got ill with an autoimmune disease. While recovering, she was inspired by denim loving artists that walked around with paint splashed all over their jeans, as they wiped their brushes on their workwear.
Like many of the denim dudettes Amy covers, Erin’s imagination was sparked, and as she started painting at home she appreciated the therapeutic value of this “art form”. And that set the ball rolling for the creation of RJP, which also benefits several children’s hospitals by supporting art therapy programs for kids.
Cate Havstad of Havstad Hats
Cate is yet another one of the denim dudettes who is worth looking to for insightful inspiration. In Yokohama for the Clutch Collection trade show, Cate was filmed wearing Imogene & Willie jeans, and a silk top from Ralph Lauren, accessorised with an At Hands Leather belt and boots made by Whites Boots.
Lizzie Kroeze, owner of Facing West, and Denim designer at Soorty Enterprises
Yet another one of the denim dudettes is Lizzie Kroeze, who was filmed in Amsterdam by Amy Leverton wearing vintage 1960s hickory stripped overalls from Buckhide, paired with a vintage stripped European work jacket (French or German), and accessorised with some vintage necklaces, and repo Converse Allstars shoes from the 1970s.
Denim Dudettes – Alina Brane
Alina Brane leads the womens design team at Gant Rugger. For the Women’s denim collection, Amy Leverton filmed this at De Hallen, Amsterdam. Alina donned on an organic two-piece cotton denim outfit by Gant Rugger, that was topped by a deconstructed trench from the fall 16 line-up.
[i] https://long-john.nl/denim-dudes-denim-dudettes-portraits-by-amy-leverton/
[ii] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjLRbfMAI54
[iii] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ol7FD5x8HU
[iv] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oin63gu50VA
[v] https://www.rialtojeanproject.com/pages/about-us
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