The Mysterious Origin of Denim

In fashion circles there has long been a fierce debate over the origin of jeans. After all, since jeans are popular almost everywhere in the world, who wouldn’t want to claim them?!?! However, the dispute over the two commonly accepted homeland possibilities for jeans - Nimes, France, “de-Nime” became denim, or Genoa, Italy from the French name “genes” - is heating up. Currently, husband and wife fashion designers, Francois and Marithe Girbaud, are partnering with the Parisian-based Canesso gallery to try and answer this age old denim question. On display at the Canesso gallery is a recently discovered painter from Northern Italy, one who depicts the everyday lives of 17th century peasants as they go about their chores, but dressed in denim! This new painter has been dubbed the ‘Master of Blue Jeans’.

Take a look at the woman’s skirt on the left and the boy’s jacket on the right, according to researchers these are denim
Courtesy of France24

This is the earliest visual record of a jeans-like fabric. Up until then written accounts, like those of a 17th century English tailor, were the only evidence of the existence of a denim-like fabric from Genoa.  But the discovery of these paintings seems to prove, once and for all, that the Italian fabric predated the French. While there will continue to be arguments among scholars over the true source of denim, us jeans-wearers can just be content that this comfy, durable material came into existence at all!

Check out our full blog entry on the history of jeans here.

posted by: Bonnie Coombs on October 7, 2010 at 9:20 am
filed under: Denim 101 | comments (1)
TAGS: history of jeans

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On 10-10-2010, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) said

Very interesting, about denim. This answers a lot of questions.