Why Ruedi Karrer Is So Obsessed with Raw Denim
I met Ruedi Karrer aka the Swiss Jeans Freak at Selvedge Run in Berlin to talk about his vision for the Jeans Museum and how to bring it to life. You can watch the conversation in this video.
Vienna Gets the First International Iron Heart Store
The Low Down on Denim in Vienna becomes the first international Iron Heart Store. I’ve talked to the founder of The Low Down, Martin Novak, as well as Iron Heart’s Giles Padmore how it all came about, and why Vienna is the perfect location for an Iron Heart store.
How to Make Denim More Sustainable [Video]
Making denim can be a dirty business. So how can denim become more sustainable? That was one of the topic of the on-camera conversations I had with several key influencers and denim experts at the Bluezone show back in January.
Artificial Intelligence and Big Data in the Denim Industry
At the latest Bluezone show by Munich Fabric Start, I interviewed a handful of experts and influencers about the future of artificial intelligence and Big Data in the denim industry.
How to Go From Instagrammer to Retailer [Video Interview]
“It all started with an Instagram feed,” Ben of Clobber Calm writes in his Instagram profile, “and somehow I ended up a retailer!” I sat down with him at Kingpins in Amsterdam to learn how he did it. And I caught it all on camera!
How the Concept Zone Visualised MAN+MACHINE [Video]
Before we know it, computers and robots will be making our jeans. At Munich Fabric Start’s Bluezone in January, I interviewed the show’s creative partners, Lucie and Tilmann Wröbel of Monsieur-T., on how the Concept Zone visualised how AI and Big Data can be combined with human creativity.
11 Highlights and 6 Exhibitors You Shouldn’t Miss at Bluezone
This sponsored blog post guides you through eleven presentations, panel discussions and other highlights as well as six exhibitors that you should prioritise at the upcoming Bluezone show.
27 Revolutionary Denim Innovations You Need to Know
It’s tough to keep up with the constant evolution of denim. This blog post guides you through 27 of the most important recent denim innovations.
7 Denim Books You Need To Have In Your Collection
Although the internet has made learning easier than ever, we’re still drawn to knowledge on paper. We somehow trust printed knowledge a little more; maybe because it’s harder or maybe because it’s more prestigious?
If you want knowledge about denim on paper, these are some of my favourite denim books that I think every denimhead should read; books that inspired me and helped me write Blue Blooded.
What You Need to Know About the Opportunities of AI in Denim
Munich Fabric Start’s Bluezone show for January 2018 is themed MAN+MACHINE. The show will address the benefits and opportunities of software-generated creative processes and analyses of ‘big data.’
Meet the Retailer: Kiya and Demitra Babzani of Self Edge
Kiya Babzani and his wife Demitra were some of the first to bring Japanese denim to the US. Before the store opened in 2006, Kiya visited a number of Japanese brands and got the exclusive rights on sales in the United States.
“Some were just confused,” he recalls. “They said, ‘But you have Levi’s in America. Why do you want what we make?’”
Why the Denim Industry Is In Desperate Need of Education
When you don’t know the products you’re designing, marketing or selling, your customers are much less likely to trust you. And that means they’re much less likely to do business with you.
This is why the denim business needs more education from places like Denim City in Amsterdam. I sat down with their head teacher, Maarten Wentholt, to learn more about what they do.
How to Be More Authentic and Why It’s So Important
Marketing stunts or advertising campaigns don’t fool consumers; they want the real deal, not a sugar-coated version of a fake. They want authenticity. The big question is how are you authentic? As this blog post discusses, it all starts with the way you communicate.
How to Avoid Commoditisation of the Jeans You’re Making
This sponsored blog post revisits the ‘Infinite’ theme of Munich Fabric Start’s latest Bluezone show to discuss how denim in the future must be seasonless.
How to Move Beyond Seasons With Denim Communities
For the first time, a fabric trade show presented an approach to and work and think beyond trends for denim. Using denim communities can create long-lasting trends, as well as more personal relations with consumers.
How to Source for the 3 Sectors of the Jeans Business
In this sponsored blog post, six denim designers discuss the opportunities and challenges of the premium, fast fashion and heritage jeans sectors, and how to source for each of them.
Why Denim of the Future Might Not Have Seasons
The constant demand for newness in denim results in exponential innovation, much of which transcends seasons. That is the theme of Munich Fabric Start’s A/W18 Bluezone show in September 2017, titled ‘Infinite.’
In this sponsored blog post, eight industry experts discuss how denim can move beyond seasons to create long-lasting trends.
How Brit Eaton Become a World-Famous Vintage Denim Dealer
Brit Eaton is a true denim hunter, exploring mines, salvage yards, and ghost towns on a quest for indigo treasures. If you want to keep up, you will need a keen eye, a head for history, and a silver tongue. A look at what it takes to uncover truly vintage jeans worth thousands of dollars.
How to Create Great Customer Experiences in Jeans Stores
This quick guide teaches the essentials you need to be good at selling jeans in retail, including how to help your customer find perfect jeans that fit and how he should wash his jeans.
3 Selling Mistakes in Jeans Retail and How to Avoid Them
Retailers are leaving a lot of money on the table simply because their staff isn’t probably trained.
This free guide lists three common selling mistakes in jeans retail and how you can avoid them with a bit of basic retail sales training.