Indi

Upon first walking into the studio, indiDenim jeans and raw materials were showcased throughout the space, allowing attendees to see a variety of pocket styles, sizes, and finishing treatments and feel the different fabrics they could use to design their own custom jeans. 440 Brannan also displayed unique apparel from local designers that attendees could buy. Similar to indiDenim’s raw materials display, sewing machines, cutting tables and fabrics used by designers in the same space were visible throughout the room to establish a hip and creative environment.

As a part of 440 Brannan’s “Wear Something Rare” mentality, indiDenim was proud to be the newest addition to this unique SoMa design studio.

An hour into our launch event, indi attracted a lively crowd of trendy young professionals primarily from the fashion and technology industries, providing both a high-tech shopping experience (with laptops all around to browse our site and order online) and premium custom denim. Among the attendees were noted fashion bloggers and writers including contributing writer Kirsten Owens from Denim Debutante and Nerissa Pacio from the SF Chronicle.

Attendees also enjoyed some amazing perks, savoring complimentary custom cocktails, a raffle for free jeans and 30% discount. For some, that was reason enough to show up…

As for launching our new service, we couldn’t be happier with the diverse and fun crowd of women we had for our first indi By Appointment customers. At an appointment, one simply tried on a pair of indiDenim jeans, discussed fit and style changes to the jean with an indiStylist, and placed their orders online. In addition to helping get the perfect fit, our indiStylists also guided customers through the design process, suggesting cuts and styles that best matched the customer’s body type. indiStylists helped customers design a perfectly-fitting, ultra-personalized jean and provided an online visual of the jean using our Jean Builder, allowing each designer to see their jean morph during each step of customization.

Seeing the excitement of our attendees with appointments, some women even buying two pairs of jeans that night, was definitely a highlight of the evening.

To see more photos from the event, check out our Facebook album.

Interested in booking your appointment? Great! We’re opening up dates for June very soon. We’re also proud to announce we are now offering Men’s fitting appointments! Contact us or check back at our appointment page for when June time slots become available.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and looking forward to many more fittings to come!

posted by: evan on May 19, 2010 at 11:13 am
filed under:Happenings at INDi
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Well if you happen to have some time to think about our daily contradictions, you will quickly realize how little sense they actually make.

In the denim world, there’s another contradiction that’s been puzzling us lately… one that if thought about on a fundamental level makes little to no sense, yet one that is a trend not to be trifled with. It’s called skinny boyfriend jeans or boyfriend skinny jeans (or even slouchy cigarette jeans for some).

Skinny boyfriend jeans interplay masculine and feminine looks by combining two distinctly opposite styles in one: skinny and baggy.

So how can a jean be both skinny and baggy at the same time you may ask? Well, the boyfriend skinny jean has all the makings of a regular boyfriend jean except that it has a snugger fit. The jean is generally roomy through the thigh and slim through the leg.

At indi, we are still trying to make sense out of this denim reinvention (or should we say denim contradiction), but we do know that many a celebrity has pulled this ying-yang trend off with effortless style. Whether you go for a skinny jean, a boyfriend jean or both, all we have to say is that this trend is definitely worth thinking about.

posted by: Eunice Tanos on May 17, 2010 at 2:22 pm
filed under:Trend Alert
TAGS: skinny jeans, boyfriend jeans, skinny boyfriend jeans, boyfriend skinny jeans

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One of the most common fit problems we see is the “Plumber’s Crack”.

The plumber’s crack happens when one wears jeans with a low waistband leaving the butt exposed at times during bending, squatting and/or sitting down. The act of showing more than people want to see can bring all sorts of reactions and emotions. When I see this mishap happen, I normally can’t help, however painful it is, but stare at the problem head on. This is only because I find it unbelievable that some remain completely unaware of what’s happening.

News flash: exposed butt cracks are not a sexy look. And while the obvious solution would be just to buy jeans with the appropriate rise, others went out of their way to come up with a creative way to give their cracks some flare. Case in point:

This plumber’s crack-friendly patch is supposedly adhesive, hypoallergenic and decorative… enough to cover something that’s inappropriately exposed and to bring a whole different level of embarrassment that I didn’t think was possible until now. You can decide if the patch is cute or not. It also comes with two replacement tapes if you have some doubts on its adhesive staying power. Then again, we suggest you simply raise your back rise. Just sayin’. Happy Friday!

posted by: Eunice Tanos on May 7, 2010 at 3:37 pm
filed under:Misc Musings
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Here it is, custom jeans lovers. The moment you’ve all been waiting for.

The lucky winner is…Amber Turcotte! Congratulations Amber! Not a bad way to start the week, eh?

This time around, we had nearly double the amount of entries and diverse sharing, the most popular places to share being Facebook and Blogger. We’re happy to see what an active readership we have in social media, and we’re also excited to see the diversity of custom jean designs. Men’s and women’s jeans, trousers and slim fits, and a ton of different finishing treatments amounting in an avalanche of custom denim designs. 

To all of our participants- thank you for entering! Remember, we’re giving away a pair of free jeans EVERY month, so keep entering! We’ve already started getting entries for May, so start designing your custom jeans to get your new pair for summer!

Congratulations again to Amber!

posted by: evan on May 3, 2010 at 12:52 pm
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TAGS: custom jeans, custom denim, free jeans, indi giveaways

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What is indi By Appointment?
indi By Appointment is an in-person, one-on-one service with an indiStylist where you can customize your own jeans. With indiDenim’s Fit Technology, you’ll get the best fitting jeans you’ve always dreamed about! 

At a fitting, you’ll simply try on a pair of indiDenim jeans that you like, tell your stylist what you want customized about the jeans, and we’ll place your custom order.  Unlike shopping at a retail store that has limited sizes and style options, you can customize any feature of indiDenim jeans to create your perfect pair - details which range from fabric wash, to fit and length, to that perfect pocket style.

indi by appointment Launch Party and Fittings
Here are the details of our upcoming event (including how to sign up for a free fitting - we have 20 available fittings on May 13th!):

When: May 13th, 2010, join us for a drink anytime from 5:30-10:00PM
Where: 440 Brannan Studio Showroom, 440 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA 94107 (see map)

Here are some great reasons to attend:
- A chance to win a FREE pair of custom jeans
- Every attendee will get a coupon for 30% off an indiDenim jean purchase. Be the first to get free custom jean fittings with our indiStylists: schedule an appointment here!
- Free customtinis (wait till you taste these) - our customizable drink of the evening
- A chance to meet the team behind indiDenim and other fabulous fashion enthusiasts
- Shop with your cocktail!  Our retail partner, 440 Brannon Studio, is a retail store and studio factory where prominent and emerging Bay Area Designers create their limited edition lines and sell them.

RSVP on Facebook (optional)!

Note: Currently fitting for women’s jeans only, pant sizes 00-14. More sizes (including Plus Size!) and men’s jeans fittings coming soon!

What if I can’t make the event? Can I still get fitted?
We’re excited to have partnered with the folks at 440 Brannon Studio Showroom where we’ll be providing fittings in May and beyond!  As an active product development studio for the designers in residence (seriously, there are sewing machines here!), this space reeks of creativity and has been doing so since 1998.

Dates are available May 15th, May 20th, May 29th, and more to come! Schedule your fitting appointment here.

Get a group of 10 friends or more together and we’ll do a private jean party event.  We’ll even come to you for a group fitting at your home. If you are interested, contact us! service “at” indicustom.com.

What if I don’t live in the Bay Area? Is this available at other locations?
Currently we are only offering indi By Appointment in San Francisco, but we plan on expanding very soon to other cities around the US. Interested in bringing indi By Appointment to your city? Contact us! service “at” indicustom.com

We hope to see you at our launch party for a fun evening!

The indiDenim Team

posted by: evan on April 27, 2010 at 4:29 pm
filed under:Happenings at INDi
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And while I don’t have anything against wearing them, I do realize that the only connection I have with anything floral in my wardrobe, unfortunately, is the empty closet space that I often stare at where there would hang floral prints if I had any. I guess after all these spring seasons I’ve been too afraid to try florals thinking that I would resemble spring way too much. For example, every time I consider wearing a floral top, I oddly happen to hear Miranda Priestly’s voice in my head from The Devil Wears Prada telling me “Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking…”

Lately though, I decided that I need to be adventurous with my fashion choices, starting with changing my outlook on floral prints. I realized that they’re not so bad since all I really need to do is to pair them with something basic yet classic. Case in point: Skinny jeans. The versatility and basic element of a skinny jean can balance almost anything, even say a flowery top. In addition, the contrast of the bright and whimsical feeling of the top and the formfitting, darker bottom works perfectly. Whatever jean you choose, make sure to maintain this contrast.

Of course, the surest way to achieve this in my opinion, is by creating your own pair of custom skinny jeans (which indiDenim of course just released), but what do I know? Once you have your perfect jeans, whatever slim style you choose, you can dress forward without thinking twice about florals.

posted by: Eunice Tanos on April 26, 2010 at 12:24 pm
filed under:Trend Alert
TAGS: skinny jeans, spring trends

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posted by: evan on April 20, 2010 at 4:28 pm
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Now, by no means do we use these terms as a way to insult or ridicule people who continue to wear problematic denim. We at indi, simply use them to correct and address these problems because in our opinion, the only way you can really solve your own denim fashion faux pas is by designing a jean that is specifically made to fit your body AKA indiDenim.

As for me, my favorite denim behavior is much less of naming denim fashion faux pas and more of a habit that I catch myself doing every so often. It is when a lady wearing jeans walks by and almost immediately, I turn around and look at her butt.

It may seem like I’m checking out her assets but really what I’m checking out is her jean back pocket. There must be some sort of weird psychology to why I do this (so does every girl I know) but I think it has something to do with the old saying that your eyes are the windows to your soul. The back pockets can be interpreted the same way as they are the window to your jeans since they happen to reveal a lot about the jeans themselves.

Back pockets were originally used strictly for functional purposes only but after the boom of premium denim labels, they are meant to be a strategic marketing tool that expresses the brand’s image with illustrations, bright colors, embroidery, lace, rhinestones, etc. During the 1960s and 1970s, consumers began exploring denim personalization and manufacturers started experimenting with back pocket customization.

It all came together with the birth of premium denim in the 2000s. While the back pocket became a way for denim designers to brand their jeans and give them a distinct style, we at indi, saw it as another tool to further customize your own jeans. We let you decide the back pocket shape and embellishment so you can give your jeans your own spin and distinct style. So give it up for your back pockets, they’ve got quite the history.

posted by: Eunice Tanos on April 19, 2010 at 2:16 pm
filed under:Denim 101
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