Devin Booker Rocks Vintage Workwear at Madison Square Garden
On April 6, NBA star Devin Booker made a statement at Madison Square Garden by ditching flashy jewelry and designer sneakers for a more humble look. Instead, he sported a pair of cuffed indigo jeans, showcasing the prominent selvedge seam. But why is a luxury brand like Prada pushing out vintage American workwear?
The Enduring Appeal of Vintage Denim
Denim has been a staple in fashion for almost 200 years, with its development closely tied to societal and technological changes. While raw and selvedge denim have a timeless appeal, the constant return to vintage denim reveals a growing nostalgia as change intensifies.
Really, Really Old Denim is Having a Moment
Vintage denim is always in style, but now brands are leaning into the category’s nostalgic appeal by highlighting long-outmoded manufacturing methods. In fact, a pair of 19th-century jeans recently sold at auction for over $100,000 USD. The weight of denim’s history is a driving force behind its enduring popularity.
Brands Embrace Duplication and Replication
From stitch-for-stitch replicas to advanced printing technology, brands are finding ways to recreate the look and feel of vintage denim. Levi’s, for example, released a limited collection this spring featuring faithfully recreated archival pieces from the 1890s. And Supreme’s collaboration with Marithé + François Girbaud is a reminder of the trend’s roots, as designers have been artificially aging denim since the mid-20th century.
