Text

Blue leaflet

jeans English
1
HISTORY

2
DNA & INDIGO

3
SUSTAINABILITY | INNOVATION

4
THE DARK SIDE

5
CRAFTSMANSHIP |
JEANS COUTURE

6
STREETWEAR | UNIFORMITY

7
Studio

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 BLUE JEANS 24 November - 10 March 2013
The Netherlands is a true jeans country. The Dutch even have their
own word for this sturdy garment: spijkerbroek (nail trouser). You
will find at least one pair in almost every wardrobe. Better still: the
Dutch wear the highest number of jeans per head of the population.
It is actually hard to believe no such large-scale exhibition on this
highly popular item of clothing has ever been organized in the
Netherlands. The exhibition theme chosen by Centraal Museum
covers both historical and current aspects of the jean.
Although cowboys, miners and the gold rush immediately spring to
mind, jeans have a great deal more to tell. Topics of this exhibition
range from 17th century denim and the DNA of jeans, to innovation,
sustainability, jeans couture, and of course streetwear. In the final
rooms of the exhibition, you are invited to in our Blue Jeans Studio.

Activities
Free guided tour on Sunday afternoons 2 pm.
Workshop Dye using natural indigo.
Workshop Repair your favourite pair of jeans with designer Koen Tossijn.
Workshop A second life for cast-off jeans with i-did Slow Fashion.
Sit-ins with cultural anthropologist Anneke Beerkens, fashion designer Bas
Kosters and fashion designer Jan Taminiau.

For dates and current information please visit centraalmuseum.nl.

PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH

ANY ITEMS ON DISPLAY.

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 Chapter 1
HISTORY
17TH CENTURY JEANS?
In the painting Woman Begging with Two Children, the young woman’s
ripped skirt bears resemblance to jeans worn today in modern-day fashion:
same colour, rip, and light turn-up. Due to this specific choice of material
in his work, the anonymous painter from the late 17th century was recently
dubbed The Master of the Blue Jeans. In Europe, the use of denim-like
materials dates back as far as the 17th century. The fabric just had a
different name; such as fustian, a coarse fabric made of cotton and wax.
In the Neapolitan nativity scene from the 18th century, two figures are
depicted wearing trousers made from what nowadays would be referred to
as denim. Denim is characterized by a blue-ecru cotton twill. This weave
gives the fabric its typical diagonal lines. The history of jeans quite clearly
goes back much further than people tend to assume.

1. The Master of the Blue Jeans 4. Can’t Bust ‘Em Workwear Pant
Woman Begging with Two Children c. 1900-1930
North Italy? late 17th century Heavyweight cotton twill with moleskin
oil on canvas facings and yarn-dye patterned lining
Canesso Gallery, Paris DENHAM Garment Library, Amsterdam

2. Walking Costume with Denim This denim pant is an example of

Skirt and Blouse early 19th century jeans, in those
The Netherlands c. 1900 days called overalls or waist overalls.
cotton Although these trousers were hardly
MoMu Fashion Museum, Antwerp, worn in the Netherlands, other
Jacoba de Jonge collection garments made of denim did exist,
such as walking costumes (2) or
3. Twilled Cotton Skirt drivers/duster coats (5).
The Netherlands, c. 1800
cotton twill 5. Denim Duster Coat
Foundation Zuiderzee Museum, The Netherlands, 1905-1920
Enkhuizen linen, denim
Gemeentemuseum, The Hague
This skirt indicates that certain denim
‘ingredients’ already existed a few
centuries ago: cotton, blue dye and
twill weave.

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 6. Boy with White Vest and Blue Dutch Jeans
Trouser The meaning of the word jeans has
Boy wearing a white vest, blue changed over time. First referring to
trousers and game bag, part of a type of cotton fabric, jeans only
Neapolitan nativity started to refer to a pair of trousers
Naples, Italy, 1700-1800 as from the 1950s. The Holker
wood, tin, terracotta, textile, paint Manuscript from 1750, for example,
Museum Catharijneconvent, Utrecht contains different jeans samples
varying from dark blue and light blue,
7. Man in Brown Shirt red and yellow, to dark and light
Man wearing a brown shirt, white vest green. Jeans was commonly made
and blue trousers, part of Neapolitan from twilled cotton and used for lining
nativity or underskirts. Both the front and
Naples, Italy, 1700-1800 back of this fabric have the same
wood, tin, terracotta, textile, paint colour.
Museum Catharijneconvent, Utrecht Remarkable are also the references
in a British trader’s newspaper from
8. Freudenthal/Verhagen 1877 to ‘English, American and Dutch
Carmen Freudenthal (1965), Elle jeans’. Jeans refers in this case to
Verhagen (1962) types of fabric and not the trousers.
Horse and Rider More recent sample books illustrate
2012 the Dutch use of jeans fabrics, such
Thanks to: G-Star, Sergul Lyriboz, Ben as for painter’s or baker’s work
Verhagen, Aernout Veerman and Thijs clothing.
Hat: English Hatter Although the words ‘denim’ and ‘jeans’
Commissioned by Centraal Museum, seem to be used interchangeably
2012 nowadays, their development over
time has not been the same.
Especially for the exhibition Carmen
Freudenthal and Elle Verhagen created 10. Account Book
new images, related to several themes Account book of Le Poole textile
of Blue Jeans. manufacturer
Leiden, the Netherlands, from 1722
9. Kimono paper, textile
Japan, last quarter of 19th century Museum De Lakenhal, Leiden
denim, cotton
private collection Tenue de Nîmes, This account book includes a woollen
Amsterdam sample of serge the Nîmes.

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 11. Register of Expenditures on 14. Livre d’échantillons
Carriage, Horses, Wine, Clothing ‘Manuscrit Holker’
etc. Lancashire, Great Britain, 1750
Jacob de Malapert (1711-1782) paper, textile
paper, ink Les Arts Décoratifs, Musée de la Mode
Utrecht, the Netherlands, 1739-1782 et du Textile, Paris
The Utrecht Archives
Brit John Holker (1719-1786) was
The word denim is thought to have introduced to the British cotton
derived from serge de Nîmes. Serge industry at an early age. Political
was a name already used before the circumstances led him to flee to
17th century to refer to any woolen, France via the Netherlands, eventually
semi-woolen or silk fabrics. Denim becoming an inspector-general and
is thought to be short for ‘de Nîmes’, key figure in promoting the French
literally meaning ‘from Nîmes’, a textile industry. His mission was to
town in the south of France. In the gather as much information as he
18th century, Nîmes was indeed an could about the flourishing British
important textile region. In this same cotton industry, despite it being
period, there was, however, also a forbidden to export such information
fabric named nim. This woolen fabric from Great Britain.
was originally made in Spain, but
was also manufactured in the south 15. Sample Book of J. van der
of France. Whether the word denim Molen
actually derives from serge de Nîmes Enschede, the Netherlands, 1928-
is subject of much debate nowadays. 1930
The Netherlands also produced and paper, textile
used serge de Nîmes for various TwentseWelle Museum, Enschede
different items of clothing, as can be
seen in the register (account book) of 16. Amsterdamsche Courant
Jacob de Malapert from Utrecht. Amsterdam, 3 March 1778
National Library of the Netherlands,
12. Sample Book The Hague
1904
paper, textile The Amsterdamsche Courant
Stichting Mommerskwartier (Amsterdam Gazette) mentions the
Audax Textielmuseum, Tilburg sale of a load of fabrics, including
‘Jeans’ and ‘Cotton de Niems’.
13. Sample Book
no date
paper, textile
Stichting Mommerskwartier
Audax Textielmuseum, Tilburg

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 17. Eduard Schellhass & Co. 21. Limburgsch Dagblad
London/Hong Kong, 13 July 1877 Heerlen, the Netherlands, 1 February
paper 1952
NEHA /IISG*, Amsterdam paper, ink
National Library of the Netherlands,
This newspaper makes references to The Hague
‘English jeans’, ‘Dutch jeans’, and
here and there also to ‘American To our knowledge, this is the first
jeans’. Jeans is referring to a cotton reference in the Dutch newspapers
fabric, but what they mean exactly to a pair of ‘Cowboy jeans’. The
by English, Dutch or American fact that jeans were first sold in
unfortunately remains unclear. the mining areas is closely related
to the structure of the fabric. Due
18. Market Announcement and to its ‘rare’ sturdy quality, the jean
Price-List had, after all, proven popular among
Surabaya, 1 May 1877 workers such as miners in the United
paper, ink States since the mid 1900s. The
NEHA/IISG, Amsterdam text explicitly advertises workwear.
Only during the 1950s did the jean
19. Vroom & Dreesmann start to become fashionable in the
Brochure Netherlands – particularly among
V&D store sale younger generations.
The Netherlands, 1917
paper 22. “Lee Cooper” Photo Series in
NEHA/IISG, Amsterdam Groenlo
Lee Cooper jeans production
20. Vroom & Dreesmann Groenlo, the Netherlands, 1960-1970
Brochure photographic paper
Vroom & Dreesmann’s weekly TwentseWelle Museum, Enschede
advertisement Photographer: Bijlo, Enschede
The Netherlands, 1915
paper In the 20th century, production of
NEHA/IISG, Amsterdam jeans was based in the Netherlands.
Founded in 1908, British clothing
This V&D store brochure advertises company Lee Cooper ran a factory in
items such as ‘Ladies Skirts’ in Groenlo (Twente) until the 1960s. Lee
‘Fine French Jeans’ or ‘Jeans Cooper was the very first jeans brand
Ladies Trousers, French model with in Europe.
embroidery’. Jeans here refers to a
cotton fabric.

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 Chapter 2
DNA & INDIGO
DNA
The jean distinguishes itself from other garments due to its fabric, weave,
stitching, pockets, colour, fastening and so on. But what truly defines a pair
of jeans?
Early jeans found in Californian mines already exhibited the most important
features, which to this day give the trousers its distinctive look. A significant
feature added to the existing work pants were the so-called rivets, still
present on almost every pair of jeans. A patent for these rivets was filed in
1873 for by Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss, who are widely considered the
‘inventers’ of blue jeans. The development of jeans coincides closely with
various patent applications. In 1926, for example, Lee took out a patent on
the zip fastener. Until that time, jeans were done up with buttons. Seemingly
uniform and timeless, jeans can actually be dated quite accurately
according to details such as the buttons and stitching. One such detail is
the white embroidered brand name on the red tab, which Levi Strauss & Co.
had changed in 1971 from uppercase LEVI’S to lowercase Levi’s. A number
of changes and distinctive features are described here in more detail.

1. Boon magazine 4. Levi Strauss & Co.?

These photos of spreads taken from Jeans fragment
different editions of Japanese Boon 1873?
magazine nicely illustrate a number of denim
significant steps in the development Private collection Michael Allen Harris,
of the jean: the labels, zips and United States
buttons. The changes are analyzed in
fine detail. According to Michael Allen Harris, this
is a piece of a workpant from 1873.
2. Lee His identification is based on details
Buddy Lee such as the rivets and the fact that
Before 1962 there is only one back pocket, with no
denim, ceramics decorative stitching and the place of
VF Europe/Lee the label.
Nora Rohrig * With special thanks to Museum
Rotterdam.
3. Lee
Buddy Lee 5. Neustadter Bros
Before 1962 Jeans fragment
denim, ceramics denim
Private collection Joachim Baan Private collection Michael Allen Harris,
United States

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 6. Levi Strauss & Co. 9. Levi Strauss & Co.
Jeans with red tab and ‘BIG E’ Jeans fragment
United States, c. 1950-1960 United States, c. 1888-1889
denim denim, metal, leather
Private collection Ninke Bloemberg Private collection Michael Allen Harris,
United States
More commonly known as the red
tab or flag, the small red vertical tag This is the earliest known example
on the right back trouser pocket was of the leather label that until this
first added in 1936 to distinguish the day is still well known. The fragment
Levi’s jean from its competitors. It is was found in a mine in California by
the first ever label placed in such a collector, treasure hunter and author
prominent place on the outside of a Michael Allen Harris.
garment.
10. LEVI’S VINTAGE
7. Lee 1878 Pantaloons 30-10
Rodeo pants 2012
United States, 1935-1950 denim
denim LEVIS VINTAGE CLOTHING, Amsterdam
VF Europe/Lee
Nora Rohrig Jeans are fashion in reverse: from
season to season fashion changes,
Rodeo shows have a long-standing always in search of innovative trends.
tradition in the United States. From Jeans fashion seems mainly to look
the beginning of the 20th century, back at the tradition and history.
clowns were used to make sure Levi’s Strauss & Co. is launching
the audience did not leave during Levi’s Vintage Clothing, with models
intermissions. To increase their that are exact replicas of earlier
entertainment level, the clowns wore designs. This 9 oz. pair of jeans has
over-sized jackets and jeans. for example four pockets, a cinch
back, curved up front pockets,
8. Denim Legends Book doubled layered knees and circular
WeAr Global Magazine seat (both patented in 1878).
Austria, 2010
paper 11. The Indigo Preparer and Blue
Private collection Joachim Baan Dyer
Petrus Johannes Kasteleijn (1746-
1794)
Dordrecht, the Netherlands, 1788
paper, ink
Special collection, University of
Amsterdam

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 12. The Perfect Dyer 17. Freudenthal/Verhagen
Manual: The perfect dyer, teaching: Carmen Freudenthal (1965), Elle
1. Preparation and processing of Verhagen (1962)
the ingredients needed for the art of Genes
dyeing. etc. [part 1] 2012
Maastricht, the Netherlands, 1795, Freudenthal/Verhagen, Amsterdam
2nd Print
paper 18. CBS News
TwentseWelle Museum, Enschede 6.54 min
Cone Denim LLC, a division of
Books with detailed recipes for dyeing International Textile Group, Inc.,
with indigo already existed as far back United States
as the 17th century.
Denimheads
13. Anthon Gerard Alexander van A series of five portraits have been
Rappard (1858 - 1892) made specifically for this exhibition
Washing cotton strands of so-called denimheads. These
Haarlem, 1890-1891 are people who have ‘denim blood’
oil on canvas running through their veins. They each
Centraal Museum, legacy 1935 share their passion for the jean, as
inv.no. 7634/009 well as a personal story going with
their favourite pair. Once someone
14. Anthon Gerard Alexander van has fallen for the blue trouser, it
Rappard (1858 - 1892) seems to be for life.
Washing or scraping cotton fabric
Haarlem, 1890-1891 JEANS IN THE NETHERLANDS
oil on canvas Silent films in the Dutch cinemas
Centraal Museum, legacy 1935 were already featuring cowboys wear-
inv.no. 7634/008 ing jeans at the beginning of the 20th
century. Not until the 1950s, however,
15. Anthon Gerard Alexander van did jeans become available in stores
Rappard (1858 - 1892) and started growing in demand. It was
Woman Reeling Cotton, Nuenen the start of a new youth subculture.
1884 Youths now had money to spend and
oil on canvas time on their hands. Jeans fitted per-
Centraal Museum, legacy 1935 fectly within the image young people
inv.no. 7635-A wanted to portray of themselves. The
looks of youthful ‘rebel’, post-war
16. Anthon Gerard Alexander van movie stars such as Marlon Brando,
Rappard (1858 - 1892) James Dean and Marilyn Monroe fed
Two female workers this image and inspired adolescents
1885 to wear leather jackets and jeans. In
oil on canvas the 70s, smart suits and dresses had
Centraal Museum, legacy 1935 to make way for the jean. Up until this
inv.no. 7636 day, jeans have continued to influence
the way we dress.

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 19. Tom Mix in Amsterdam and INDIGO
Berlin Typical of jeans is their indigo blue
1925 colour, hence the widely used name
Coverage of the Amsterdam visit of blue jeans. The indigo dye, which gives
American actor Tom Mix on 25 April jeans that deep blue colour, has a
1925. Mix is greeted by a jubilant long history. The use of the word indigo
crowd. could be confusing, as it refers to the
7.35 min dye itself, the colour of the dyed fabric,
EYE Film Institute, Amsterdam as well as the dye’s natural sources
Woad and True Indigo. Both of these
20. The Great Train Robbery green plants produce a similar blue
1903 dye. Preparation of the dye tubs and
10.33 min the dye process itself are complicated
EYE Film Institute, Amsterdam and require a lot of work. The dye
bath starts out a white-green colour,
This film is the very first American which only turns blue once the textile
western. These silent movies were is exposed to oxygen. The more often
generally released in the Dutch the fabric is dyed, the deeper the blue
film houses around a year after becomes. An important characteristic
the production date. The audience of indigo is that it is colourfast. In
who went to see these movies was 1826, French Jean Baptiste Guimet
therefore already familiar with jeans secretly developed a synthetic blue,
since the start of the 20th century. which was put on the market at the
There is, however, no evidence that end of the 19th century by the German
this garment – unlike the cowboy hat company Badische Anilin- und Soda
- was being sold in the Netherlands at Fabrik (BASF).
that time.
Woad (Isatis tinctoria L.) and True
Both films are screened in loop. Indigo (Indigofera tinctoria L.)
Although different plant species, both
the Woad and True Indigo produce an
almost similar indigo-blue dye. In the
Middle Ages, woad was considered
in Europe to be the queen of all
dyes. It was a valuable contributor to
local economy. During the first great
overseas voyages in the 16th and
17th century, the subtropical indigo
dye from places such as India, Japan,
China, Central and South America
started to take over this important role.
Compared to the Woad plant, Indigo
can yield a far greater amount of
blue pigment. Dyeing textile therefore
requires far less Indigo than Woad.

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 21.Woad Ball
woad leaves Blue
DENHAM Garment Library, Amsterdam Blue is by far the most common
colour of clothing across the globe.
22. Hiroyuki Shindo (1941) The colour has been used for
Indigo ball centuries for many types of workwear.
Japan, 1995 The expressions ‘white-collar-workers’
Styrofoam, cotton, linen, indigo and ‘blue-collar-workers’, referring
Centraal Museum, gift 2004 to the difference between office
inv.no. 29960 work and manual labour, today still
distinguish between types of job,
23. DENHAM the Jeanmaker and ultimately also social status.
WOAD jeans According to French historian
denim, woad Pastoureau (1947), a significant trend
spring/summer 2011 had taken place between 1910 and
DENHAM Collection, Amsterdam 1950, where blue gradually started
to replace black, the prevailing colour
This pair of jeans was dyed with woad of 19th century male fashion. Blue
in Great Britain. Woad was the main has now become a defining colour
blue dye used in Europe, before the of modern culture, in which the main
exotic indigo dye was later discovered. following of blue jeans wearers is
represented.
24. Boudicca To quote anthropologist Michael
Zowie Broach (1966), Brian Kirkby Taussig (1940): “To slip into your blue
(1965) jeans is to slip into history”.
TBC
London, 2012
woad, jeans, mixed media
Commissioned by Centraal Museum,
2012

For years, British designer duo

Boudicca has found inspiration in
woad dye, which is thought to have
mythical powers. This installation
is based on their perfume WODE.
Spraying on the perfume briefly turns
the skin blue, quickly fading away
again within a few seconds. This
creates a reversed effect of the indigo
and woad dye process.

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 First vide
175 YEARS ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION
In 2012, the store De Rode Winkel of the Broekman family celebrates
its 175th anniversary. De Rode Winkel (the red shop) was key to the
introduction of jeans in Utrecht and the Netherlands. In the 1950s, the
blue trouser was not an immediate hit for everyone. It was actually first
sold ‘under-the-counter’. Due to ever-growing demand, however, the shop
that originally sold professional work clothing and uniforms quickly became
specialized in jeanswear. The archives of this store provide insight into that
part of Utrecht history.
For the 175th anniversary a special jeans collection was designed and
will be auctioned for War Child. For more information, please see: www.
jeansforwarchild.com.

Chapter 3
SUSTAINABILITY | INNOVATION
Fabrics to feel and touch
At fashion exhibitions it is often very tempting to touch the garments on display, but
the textile is normally far too fragile. The Blue Jeans exhibition has made a special
selection of fabrics for visitors to get their hands on. Typical of denim fabric is that it
becomes softer and softer with every touch.

SUSTAINABILITY
Fashion and sustainability do not seem to go hand in hand. Ever-changing trends,
including jeans, could never be sustainable due to the high turnover rate of the
garments. This has not discouraged attempts to make a change, both on a large and
small scale. Recycling or alteration of jeans has proven the most sustainable. The
Dutch brand Kuyichi, first to produce organic cotton jeans ten years ago, launched a
small collection named Salvage Project, created entirely from recycled materials.
Another way of increasing sustainability is to shred worn jeans into fibres. These fibres
can then be used to spin new wool which can, for example, be knitted into jumpers,
as previously done by Dutch label YOUASME. Another way forward is the use of
alternative materials such as the promising stinging nettles fibre textiles produced by
Dutch label Netl in the Northeast Polder. The most significant developments, however,
concern the cutback in water consumption, as producing one pair of jeans requires on
average between 7000 and 8000 litres of water.

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 1. Jurgen Bey (1965) 4. François + Marithé Girbaud
Commissioned by Levi Strauss & Co. (1945 and 1942)
and Droog Design Laser-treated overalls
Indigo (showcase design) spring/summer 2008, look 8
1999 multi-layered denim
various materials and techniques François + Marithé Girbaud, Paris
Centraal Museum, gift 2002
inv.no. 29784 5. François + Marithé Girbaud
(1945 and 1942)
This installation is based on the idea JeanOside
that the originally colourless indigo spring/summer 2012
only reveals its deep-blue colour multi-layered denim
through a chemical reaction. François + Marithé Girbaud, Paris

2. G-Star/Netl The denim is treated with lasers and

RAW Nettle ozone: both techniques ensure less
2011 water and chemicals are needed
nettle fibres, cotton to achieve that much-desired worn
finish. The movies shows the lasering
Stinging nettles are a promising new process of WattwashTM.
source of textile. The RAW Nettle Directed by: Fred Eldar Gasimov
collection, collaboration between two Production: Kikaya, France
Dutch companies G-Star and Netl, 2010
was launched in 2011. This, still 2.54 min.
limited, line consists of jeans which
are made from 90% organic cotton 6. Kuyichi
and 10% nettle fibre. The nettle fibre Salvage project
production and process requires Hooded jacket, one of a kind Salvage
relatively little use of water and piece
chemicals. Manufacturing clothing 2012
with this nettle textile can also take recycled materials
place within Europe, further reducing Kuyichi, Haarlem
the garments’ footprint.
Nick Vintage Green
3. YOUASME MEASYOU organic cotton, hemp
Twan Janssen (1968) and Mark 2012
Vorstenbos (1967) Kuyichi, Haarlem
recycled pants, sweater and scarf
Recover, autumn/winter 2012 7. Freudenthal/Verhagen
100% recycled denim Carmen Freudenthal (1965), Elle
schoon den boer PR, Amsterdam Verhagen (1962)
Dye
New yarn is created from recycled 2012
fibres from old jeans. This yarn can Freudenthal/Verhagen, Amsterdam
then be used to knit garments such
as sweaters, scarves or trousers.

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 INNOVATION 9. Naked & Famous
Although jeans have been around for 32 oz. jeans
decades, they still remain cutting- Canada, 2012
edge and innovative today. Without denim
losing its essence, the jean allows Tenue de Nîmes, Amsterdam
for a large variety of designs and
techniques. Dutch label gluejeans According to its designers, this is the
manufactures jeans of which every heaviest pair of jeans in the world: the
seam is glued - neither stitch nor rivet trousers can even stand upright with
ever entering the process. Innovation no support. Oz. is the abbreviation for
here is achieved at the level of ounces. Denim is weighed in oz. per
construction. G-Star has also looked square yard.
more closely at the construction of
the jean. In 1996 the first G-Star 10. Naked & Famous
Elwood jean was created, inspired Scratch-n-Sniff Raspberry Scented
by the pants of a motorcyclist. This Denim
is the first three dimensional denim, Canada, 2012
designed to follow the contours of denim
the body. Hence the trouser legs bend Naked & Famous, Montreal, Canada
slightly inwards.
Ever since the 1970s, the French 11. Naked & Famous
label François + Marithé Girbaud has Glow-in-the-Dark Jeans
been known for its use of innovative Canada, 2011
techniques. Treating jeans with lasers denim
or ozone creates a vintage look. The Naked & Famous, Montreal, Canada
lasers only affect a very thin layer of
the fabric, giving the jean that sought- The brand Naked & Famous
after worn effect. manufactures jeans in Canada, but
have their fabric imported from Japan.
8. Nieuwe Heren Rubbing the Scratch-n-Sniff fabric
Erik de Nijs (1985), Tim Smit (1988) gives off a raspberry scent, due to
Beauty and the Geek a special coating that contains mini
Utrecht, the Netherlands 2007 microcapsules. The coating is applied
denim, wireless keyboard, mouse, and then baked into the denim.
speakers
Nieuwe Heren, Utrecht

This design has integrated technique

and fashion in one jean. The trousers
incorporate a keyboard, a set of
speakers and a mouse, allowing its
wearer to use a computer from various
different locations. The stitching
was inspired by the pattern of a
computer’s printed circuit board.

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 12. François + Marithé Girbaud 14. gluejeans
(1945 and 1942) No title
stonewash jeans Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 2012
France, c. 1972 denim, glue
denim Commissioned by Centraal Museum,
François + Marithé Girbaud, Paris 2012

Stonewashing is a method introduced In 2008, gluejeans by Dutch brand

in the 1970s to soften the fabric G+N introduced a radical new
of the jeans, get rid of the very approach to jeans design. Instead of
deep blue shade and give them a stitching, the seams are glued, but
worn look, fashionable at that time. then using different colours of glue.
As the name already states, the The trousers are made by hand in
jeans are washed in the drum with the Netherlands, making each pair
a stone (pumice). French designer unique. The installation was created
duo Girbaud experimented in 1972 specifically for this exhibition.
at Laverie Saint-Jean in Paris with a
stonewash finish named avant-la- 15. G-Star Elwood
lettre. After 1975, production spread G-Star Elwood
worldwide and was industrialized due photo print
to its high demand. 2012
G-Star Raw C.V.
13. Rapha Ltd.
Rapha Racing jeans
nylon, cotton, elasthane mix yarn
2012
Rapha Ltd, London

These jeans are especially designed

for cycle racing. The denim fabric is
developed in Italy and is robust, dries
quickly and will -in contrast to regular
jeans- not damage easily. Attached to
the back is place to fasten an U-lock.

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 Chapter 4
DARKSIDE
THE DARK SIDE
The current production of jeans is an extremely polluting process. Cotton
processing, as well as dyeing and treating the denim creates immense
challenges for the textile industry with respect to water consumption,
chemicals and energy. For example, in certain parts of the world (such as
Bangladesh) jeans are still being sandblasted. This technique is used to
give jeans a worn look. The problem with respect to sandblasting is that it
is extremely harmful to workers and can lead to serious illness such as lung
disease. A large number of jean brands have now made the decision to ban
sandblasting from the production process.
The process of dyeing fabrics can also cause severe pollution and health
issues. In China, where many textile factories are located, wastewater has
infiltrated the groundwater, making 70% of the water polluted and 50%
unsafe. Different international brands have joined forces to create the
so-called Joint Roadmap, a collaboration to implement changes in the
production process.

1. Lu Guang/Greenpeace 4. Allison Joyce (1987)

Factory worker in Guangdong Province Sandblasting from the Fashion
China, 2010 Victims photo series
Greenpeace Nederland Bangladesh
2010
2. Lu Guang/ Greenpeace Allison Joyce, New York
Water Sampling in Guangdong
Province 5. Pieter van den Boogert (1985)
China, 2010 What We Wear
Greenpeace Nederland Ghana
2011
3. Lu Guang/Greenpeace Pieter van den Boogert, Amsterdam
Wastewater in Guangdong Province
China, 2010 Photographer Pieter van den Boogert
Greenpeace Nederland brought the global clothes market
into picture; from the production in
Bangladesh, to the consumption in
the Netherlands and finally the reuse
of worn clothes in Ghana.

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 Jeans Footprint Green Jeans
In terms of fibre, the smallest There are ways of becoming more
footprint is produced by trousers aware of the clothes you buy and wear.
made from 100% hemp. Next in line
are trousers made from hemp and A few tips:
organic cotton, followed by organic Purchase jeans made from eco-
cotton, and then by trousers made friendly materials such as hemp,
from regular cotton. nettle, bamboo, organic cotton, made
The use of a pair of jeans (wearing in good environmental and working
them on a daily basis or only twice conditions;
and then shelving them for life)
determines more than half of your Wash your jeans less frequently and
‘jeans footprint’. By giving your jeans at lower temperatures;
a longer life, the impact of the fibres
on the jeans footprint diminishes by Avoid using the drier, but rather dry
the day. The surface that the fibres them on a wash rack;
require is a fixed number per pair.
Doubling the time you wear those Give your jeans a second life by
jeans will each day halve the impact donating them to organizations such as
of the fibres on your jeans footprint. the Salvation Army, Humana and Kici;
Source: Greenjeans
Recycle your jeans into new outfits or
accessories.

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 Chapter 5
CRAFTSMANSHIP | JEANS COUTURE

CRAFTMANSHIP
As a reaction to mass production, several small-scale initiatives have
emerged worldwide aiming to re-introduce the art of making jeans. A Dutch
example is Atelier Tossijn. In his one-man studio, Koen Tossijn designs and
manufactures jeans as custom suits. For this exhibition, he has moved his
entire workshop to this expo room. Comparable examples from outside the
Netherlands are American Roy denim and Japanese Momotaro. In the 1970s
and 1980s, ‘craftsmanship’ was expressed through colourful embroidery.
Punk radically changed the individualization of clothing: punkers trashed
their jeans with bleach, ripped them up, and ‘decorated’ them with fabric
and safety pins. The concept of deliberately damaging clothes was born. An
extreme and current example is the jeans design by Maison Martin Margiela,
where hardly any fabric is left at all.

1. Atelier Tossijn 4. Jan Taminiau (1975)

Koen Tossijn (1981) Poetic Clash meets Nature Extends
The Netherlands, India, 2012
At certain time slots, jeans designer denim
Koen Tossijn will be at work in the Commissioned by Centraal Museum,
exhibition. Tossijn specializes in 2012
custom-made jeans designs.
Work by Dutch fashion designer
2. Roy Jan Taminiau expresses a fondness
Roy Slaper of Roy creates one pair of for nostalgia, manifested in his
jeans a day in his atelier in Oakland, choice of material, technique and
California, as is shown in this movie. craftsmanship, which mostly involves
extensive handwork. For the Blue
3. Cone Mills Jeans exhibition, Taminiau has
White Oak/Cone Mills started its created a long denim evening gown,
business in 1891 as a wholesale inspired on his his latest collection
grocer in the United States. A few Poetic Clash (Paris, July 2012) and
years after opening its doors, it then his former collection Nature Extends
started supplying Levi Strauss & (Paris, July 2011).
Co. in 1910 and became exclusive
supplier for the 501s in 1922. Cone
Mills is still one of the biggest denim
manufacturers in the world.
4.25 min
Both films are screened in loop.

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 5. G-Star NY Raw 12. Lola Pagola
autumn/winter 2009 Marijke Bruggink (1961), Marlie
denim Witteveen (1959)
G-Star Raw C.V. Skate shoes from the Jeans series
1991
This ‘fur’ coat is made out of denim, dark-blue canvas (denim) with orange
which has been torn by hand for stitching; leather sole
weeks to create the fur-like effect. The Centraal Museum, gift 1998
coat was shown during the New York inv.no. 28347
Fashion Week in 2008.
13. Lola Pagola
6. G-Star NY Raw Marijke Bruggink (1961), Marlie
spring/summer 2010 Witteveen (1959)
denim Corset shoe from the Jeans series
G-Star Raw C.V. 1991
dark-blue canvas (denim) with orange
7. Dries van Noten stitching; leather sole
Bleached denim derby Centraal Museum, gift 1998
spring/summer 2011 inv.no. 28348
denim, leather
Dries van Noten, Antwerpen 14. Overall
The Netherlands, 1930-1939
8. Children’s Shoes denim, cambric
c. 1973 Centraal Museum, gift 1985
cotton, denim, rope, rubber inv.no. 25312
Centraal Museum, purchased 1973
inv.no. 18200/004 15. Sturka
Ladies jeans
9. Paul Smith Shoes The Netherlands?, 1953
Mainline Collection denim
spring/summer 2012 Centraal Museum, gift 1984
denim, rubber sole inv.no. 24813
Paul Smith, London
These jeans are the earliest pair of
10. Basketball Shoes denim pants in the collection of the
c. 1973 Centraal Museum. The Nederlandse
cotton, denim, rubber, metal textile company Sturka was founded
Centraal Museum, purchased 1973 around 1880 and existed until 1976.
inv.no. 18206/003

11. Lanvin
summer 2009
denim
LANVIN Chargée du Patrimoine, Paris

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 16. Klavers van Engelen 21. Levi Strauss & Co.
Niels Klavers (1967) en Astrid van Jeans
Engelen (1970) 1970-1975
Jeans jacket denim, cotton
summer 2001, Beaufort 5 Gemeentemuseum, The Hague
denim
Centraal Museum, gift 2012 These trousers were part of a groom’s
inv.no. 31725 wedding outfit at the start of the
1970s. The top of the jeans are
17. Levi Strauss & Co. embroidered with a colourful flower
Herenjasje motif. Fashion in this period consisted
c. 1999 of denim trousers and jackets richly
katoen, hemp decorated with embroidery, paint, or
Centraal Museum, gift Gijs Bakker lots of added frills.
2010
inv.no. 31219 22. Maison Martin Margiela
Ripped jeans, jacket
18. Momotaro spring/summer 2008
Japan, 2012 denim
denim Maison Martin Margiela, Paris
Tenue de Nîmes, Amsterdam
23. Maaike Aileen Bles (1989)
19. Punk Outfit YDA
The Netherlands, c. 1981-1984 spring/summer 2012
Worn and created by Ger de Kok Denim
(1963) Maaike Aileen Bles, Amsterdam
cotton, denim, metal; sprayed;
painted
Gemeentemuseum, The Hague

20. Kuyichi/Bas Kosters

2003
denim, paint
Broekman De Rode Winkel, Utrecht

In 2003 Dutch fashion designer Bas

Kosters (1977) painted jeans in the
De Rode Winkel shop windows, on
the occasion of the reopening of the
store. Kosters views jeans as ‘non-
fashion’, but in this colourful and
expressive way he still manages to
apply his own signature style.

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 JEANS COUTURE 26. Levi Strauss & Co.
Originally, denim and jeans were Ida van Bladel (1931)
primarily used for work clothing. It Poster with pocket drawn on nude
was mainly the less privileged or female behind
people with tough jobs, such as Belgium, 1973
miners, who wore clothing made from Colour offset lithography on paper
sturdy materials. From the 1970s private collection Tenue de Nîmes,
onwards, jeans managed to gain a Amsterdam
place in the designer collections.
Designers like Jean Paul Gaultier, This poster from 1973 reflects the
Vivienne Westwood, Chanel and Yves sexual revolution of the late 1960s
Saint Laurent incorporated denim in and early 1970s. In this period, jeans
their work. and nudity became synonymous for
Yves Saint Laurent often sighed: “I youth and rebellion. Brands had come
wish I had invented blue jeans: the to understand that sex sells.
most spectacular, the most practical,
the most relaxed and nonchalant. 27. Chanel
They have expression, modesty, sex Short jacket, skirt
appeal, simplicity - all I hope for in autumn/winter 1991-1992
my clothes.” denim
Galliera, Musée de la Mode de la Ville
24. Freudenthal/Verhagen de Paris, Paris
Carmen Freudenthal (1965), Elle
Verhagen (1962) 28. Maison Martin Margiela
The Warp and Woof Jeans dress
2012 summer 1993
Clothing: KRISVANASSCHE denim
Styling: Thomas Vermeer Galliera, Musée de la Mode de la Ville
Thanks to: Silas Kjolmoen Henrikson, de Paris, Paris
Boaz Mout, Teuntje Kranenborg
29. Yves Saint Laurent
25. G-Star Flywood installation Saint Laurent Rive Gauche
While imagining a new type of G-Star 1973
Elwood, Raw Atelier was inspired by denim
the sartorial history of braguettes, Private collection Olivier Châtenet,
and the western fly from the 15th Paris
century onward. “Sometimes you have
to go very far to come back to what 30. Vivienne Westwood (1941)
already exists.” A braguette is a fly Cut Slash and Pull
shaped like a pouch and was mainly spring/summer 1991
worn in the 16th century. denim, cotton
2012 Vivienne Westwood Limited, London
G-Star Raw C.V.

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 31. Vivienne Westwood (1941) 33. Chanel
Always on Camera Jacket and jeans
corset and skirt with Marlene Dietrich spring/summer 2003
print denim, woollen tweed
autumn/winter 1992-1993 Chanel, Paris
denim
Vivienne Westwood Limited, London 34. Jean Paul Gaultier (Arcueil
1952)
32. François + Marithé Girbaud Jeans and suspenders
(1945 and 1942) 1993
Laser-treated jacket jeans, ‘chlorine speckled’ pattern
autumn/winter 2010-2011, look 9 Centraal Museum, gift 2007
denim, laser-treated inv.no. 30251/001-002
François + Marithé Girbaud, Paris
Diana Vreeland (1906-1989, editor
Harper’s Bazaar and American Vogue)
once said: “Blue jeans are the most
beautiful things since the gondola”,
perfectly sensing the novelty of this
fashion item.

Second vide
HKU JEANS LAB
Fourth-year students at the Utrecht School of the Arts
(HKU) have been researching various aspects of jeans
specifically for this exhibition. The project had students
collaborate from different fields within the HKU: Fashion
Communication, Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Interior
Architecture, Product Design, and Visual Art and Design
Management. The study was based around two central
themes: innovation and sustainability.

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 Chapter 6
STREETWEAR | UNIFORMITY
STREETWEAR
In the 1950s, adolescents started to wear jeans to distinguish themselves
from their parents. A youth subculture was born that had never existed
before; a young generation with both time and money to spare. To this day,
groups of young people worldwide still use their distinct style of dress to
set them apart from the masses. Jeans play an important role here. Tokyo is
home to the so-called ‘neo-tribes’; Japanese youth with a specific interest in
just about anything manufactured in America, and jeans in particular. Jeans
seem to remain a popular garment for personal expression. This is also
evident in street photographs of these often-eccentric young individuals,
which has really taken off over the last few years.

1. Uniform 4. Ari Versluis & Ellie

A selection of 19th and 20th century Uyttenbroek / Exactitudes
photographs, showing jeans being Ari Versluis (1961), Ellie Uyttenbroek
used as workwear and uniforms. (1965)
photo paper No. 138 Rebels
Private collection Tenue de Nîmes, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 2012
Amsterdam Ari Versluis and Ellie Uyttenbroek,
Rotterdam
2. Time Magazine
United States, 5 January 1981 5. Ari Versluis & Ellie
paper, ink Uyttenbroek / Exactitudes
Private collection Joachim Baan Ari Versluis (1961), Ellie Uyttenbroek
(1965)
That jeans can be worn by anyone No. 139 Muazh
nowadays is nicely illustrated in this Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 2012
portrait on the cover of Time Magazine Ari Versluis and Ellie Uyttenbroek,
of former President of the United Rotterdam
States Ronald Reagan. Reagan is
wearing double denim: a denim shirt
over a pair of jeans.

3. Ari Versluis & Ellie

Uyttenbroek / Exactitudes
Ari Versluis (1961), Ellie Uyttenbroek
(1965)
No. 128 Brigade
Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 2010
Ari Versluis and Ellie Uyttenbroek,
Rotterdam

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 6. Viktor & Rolf, Levi Strauss & Co. INDIVIDUAL UNIFORMITY
Viktor Horsting (1969), Rolf Snoeren Jeans are often associated with
(1969) rebellion and freedom. The garment
Jeans suit/uniform, scarf is, however, also relatively ‘safe’,
1999 boasting little to no extravagance.
silk, hand embroidery; lining fabric; Any random snapshot of the streets
metal, enamel, denim or a group of students will present
Centraal Museum, purchased 1999 an almost monotonous image in
inv.no. 28710/001-002 and inv.no. which jeans and T-shirt resemble a
30057/001-003 uniform rather than a way to express
individual style. Photographs by Ari
From 1999 to 2005, the hosts and Versluis and Ellie Uyttenbroek capture
hostesses of Centraal Museum wore this paradox between individual(ity)
uniforms consisting of a jacket and and uniform(ity) in a series of 12
Levi Strauss & Co. jeans, and a portraits.
scarf embroidered with name and Nowadays jeans can be worn by
job description of the employee. everyone, from former president
Commissioned by the museum, the Ronald Reagan, in denim trouser and
uniform was designed by Dutch shirt, to a newborn in baby jeans.
fashion duo Viktor & Rolf.
8. Urban Nomad Tokyo
7. Freudenthal/Verhagen Akira, who is a local hipster and
Carmen Freudenthal (1965), Elle owner of the shop Mikiri Hashin in
Verhagen (1962) Tokyo, selected the clothes for these
Bark two outfits. Special thanks to Akira
2012 and Anneke Beerkens
Freudenthal/Verhagen, Amsterdam
9. Anneke Beerkens (1980)
Fashion Gods
Tokyo, 2007-2012
Anneke Beerkens, Amsterdam

10. Sander Stoepker (1966)

Taylor
Portraits
Nairobi, 2011
Sander Stoepker, Haarlem

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 11. Sander Stoepker (1966) 16. Sander Stoepker (1966)
Dickson Hassan
Portraits Portraits
Nairobi, 2011 Nairobi, 2011
Sander Stoepker, Haarlem Sander Stoepker, Haarlem

12. Sander Stoepker (1966) While trying to catch ‘the smile of

Nashon the streets’, photographer Sander
Portraits Stoepker captured the “cool looks” of
Nairobi, 2011 the Kenyan wearing our used clothes
Sander Stoepker, Haarlem as well. With this series Stoepker won
the World Portraits Photo Contest in
13. Sander Stoepker (1966) 2011.
Charles
Portraits 17. Outfit
Nairobi, 2011 Especially for the exhibition Samuel
Sander Stoepker, Haarlem de Goede composed two outfits that
are a reflection of contemporary
14. Sander Stoepker (1966) street culture.
Georgeouma
Portraits
Nairobi, 2011
Sander Stoepker, Haarlem

15. Sander Stoepker (1966)

Sydney
Portraits
Nairobi, 2011
Sander Stoepker, Haarlem

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 Chapter 7
STUDIO
BLUE JEANS STUDIO
The Studio is a temporary workshop for visitors to get creative. Inspiration
for the Blue Jeans Studio is the history of American mines. At the end of the
19th century, jeans were worn by miners as sturdy work clothing. To prevent
them from smuggling out minerals such as gold or silver in their pockets, the
miners had to leave their jeans behind in the changing rooms. The clothing
was company property. Old jeans left behind were used to patch up other
pairs or to make extra pockets.
Further inspiration is taken from the present-day jeans industry, in which the
deep-blue garment is treated with a whole range of techniques as to create
the much-desired vintage look.

The Blue Jeans Studio invites you to ‘finish’ a left-behind pair of jeans,
turning them into true designer jeans. The Studio is fitted out with
professional equipment. Our studio staff members are happy to assist you
with the equipment and advise in any way.

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 CENTRAAL MUSEUM
Nicolaaskerkhof 10
3512 XC Utrecht
030 2362362

centraalmuseum.nl
Tue – Sun 11.00 - 17.00h

COLOphON
TEXT:
Ninke Bloemberg

TRANSLATION:
Jo Mills MindYourText

PRODUCTION:
Hans Schopping
Eveline Reeskamp

DESIGN:
Joachim Baan
Another Something & Co.

PRINTING:
De Swart, Den Haag

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