A Brief History of the Rise of Denim

Denim jeans have become an integral part of our lives, that most of us never stop to question where the beloved pants we wear so frequently come from. Despite the range of innovative materials available on the market, denim remains one of the most versatile, durable and highly sought after fabrics on the market. It is one of the few items which transcends gender, ages, and class - with most people owning more pairs then there are days in the week.

A short look at the history of denim

This in itself is an incredible feat considering that fact that denim originally started out as the go-to fabric for workwear some two hundred years ago. Denim has been reinvented time and time again and taken on many forms over the years. And despite recent interest in stretch pants, like leggings and yoga pants, as well as the dirtier aspects linked to denim production - denim remains. Now new forms of 'smart' denim offer wearers additional benefits, such as smartphone connectivity, but what about the roots of denim?

FashionUnited shares its brief history on the rise of denim jeans in the timeline below.

Use the arrows to navigate through the events ordered by date or click on a time frame (in the gray bar) to learn more.

Photo: Courtesy of Levi & Strauss Co