The aim of this one-day conference is to explore the evolution of denim from its origins in the French town of Nîmes, through the American invention of the modern blue jeans, to the contemporary global manufacturing and marketing of denim and jeans. Blue denim jeans are the most worn garments in the world. Even though denim is often perceived as a symbol of American culture, the denim fabric originated in Europe and has a long history. Yet it was only when denim trousers were riveted that the first modern pair of jeans were created in the late XIX^th century. Since this invention, jeans have made grand transformations from a worker’s garment, through a uniform of non-conformity and youth protest, to an item of fashion design. Recently, the Netherlands has become an international marketing cluster for the global denim industry.

Argument

Blue denim jeans are the most worn garments in the world. Even though denim is often perceived as a symbol of American culture, the denim fabric originated in Europe and has a long history. Yet it was only when denim trousers were riveted that the first modern pair of jeans were created in the late 19th century. Since this invention, jeans have made grand transformations from a worker’s garment, through a uniform of non-conformity and youth protest, to an item of fashion design. Meanwhile, the manufacturing of denim and jeans has been largely relocated from the USA to Japan, China, Brazil and Turkey. Recently, the Netherlands has become an international marketing cluster for the global denim industry. 

The aim of this one-day conference is to explore the evolution of denim from its origins in the French town of Nîmes, through the American invention of the modern blue jeans, to the contemporary global manufacturing and marketing of denim and jeans. 

Speakers include American, European and Japanese scholars, museum curators, and representatives of denim companies from Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, UK and USA. A round-table will discuss the future of denim and the conference will open the floor for debate. 

Registration

Open to anyone with an interest in the business history of fashion, this one-day public conference aims to bring together fashion researchers, professionals of the industry, curators, archivists, academics, students and wider public audiences. 

Booking is essential as places are limited.

The registration fee is €30 (€10 for students) and includes lunch/refreshments.

To reserve a place, and for further details regarding how to register, please email erasmusfashion@gmail.com or enterpriseofculture@leeds.ac.uk 

Registration http://www.eventbrite.fr/e/denim-on-stage-tickets-18323419842?aff=ehomesaved

Info www.enterpriseofculture.leeds.ac.uk

This conference is organised by Erasmus University Rotterdam on behalf of The Enterprise of Culture: international structures and connections in the fashion industry since 1945, a three year pan-European collaborative research project funded by HERA II (Humanities in the European Research Area II), in collaboration with HTNK fashion recruitment & consultancy. The event is hosted by House of Denim in Denim City, Amsterdam. 

Programme

(Please note the programme is subject to change)

9H00-9H30 Welcome coffee and tea

9H30-9H40

• Opening by Mariette Hoitink (House of Denim and HTNK fashion recruitment and consultancy)

9H40-9H55

• The Enterprise of Culture: a new look at the European fashion industry
  Prof Regina Blaszczyk (Project Leader for the HERA-funded Enterprise of Culture project, University of Leeds)

9H55-10H10

• Introduction to the conference theme
  Dr Thierry Maillet (Enterprise of Culture, Erasmus University Rotterdam)

SESSION 1: DENIM CLUSTERS

10H10-10H25

• The House of Denim as the result of the growth of Amsterdam as a hub/cluster for the world wide denim industry
  James Veenhoff (House of Denim, Amsterdam)

10H25-10H40

• Competitiveness of the Japanese denim and jeans industry: the cases of Kaihara and Japan Blue, 1970-2015
  Prof Ben Wubs (Erasmus University Rotterdam) & Prof Rika Fujioka (KasaiUniversity, Osaka)

10H40-11H00 Questions & discussion

11H00-11H15 Coffee and tea break

SESSION 2: DENIM HISTORY

11H15-11H30

• Cotton: the making of a modern commodity
  Prof Giorgio Riello (University of Warwick and Enterprise of Culture)                                                      

11H30-11H45

• Jean and denim, between myth and reality
  Pascale Gorguet-Ballesteros (Curator Musée Galliera and Université Paris IV Sorbonne) & Aleth Jourdan (Director, Musée du Vieux Nîmes)

11H45-12H00 Questions & discussion

12H00-12H15 1° keynote address

• Adriano Goldschmied (the ‘godfather’ of premium denim, and creator of Diesel, Replay, Gap 1969, AG Adriano Goldschmied. He is currently directing Goldsign)

12H30-13H30 Lunch & DJ

SESSION 3: DENIM & MARKETING

13H30-13H45

• Leader of the pack: jeans advertising since the 1960s
  Dr Paul Jobling (University of Brighton)

13H45-14H00

• Building G-star as a global brand
  Thecla-Schaeffer (Chief Marketing Officer at G-Star, Amsterdam)

14H00-14H15

• The origins of Kingpins and the role of trade fairs in the denim industry
  Andrew Olah, (CEO Kingpins New York)

14H15-14H30 Questions & discussion

SESSION 4: DENIM & REPUTATION

14H30-14H45

• Denim dudes: street style, vintage, workwear, obsession
  Amy Leverton (WGSN London)

14H45-15H00

• Denimism: denim in the feminist movement and the perception of the American media, 1915-1975
  Pim Jansen Ma (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

14H45-15H00 Questions & discussion

15H00-15H15 Coffee and tea break

15H15-15H45 2° keynote address: A personal history of Japan Blue

• Hisao Manabe (CEO Japan Blue)              

15H45-16H30 Presentation by the House of Denim

Visit to the Denim Lab                                           

16H30-17H15 ROUND-TABLE ON THE FUTURE OF DENIM

Chaired by Prof Ben Wubs and Dr Thierry Maillet (Enterprise of Culture, Erasmus University Rotterdam)

• Mariette Hoitink (HTNK)
• James Veenhof, (House of Denim, Amsterdam)
• Amy Leverton (Denim Dudes)
• Andrew Olah (CEO Kingpins)
• Thecla-Schaeffer (G-star)
• Adriano Goldschmied (Founder of Diesel and AG Jeans)
• Hisao Manabe (Japan Blue)
• Simon Giuliani (Candiani Denim)  

17H00-18H00 Drinks reception & DJ