Directional denims brands in collaboration

Two well-known names in the denim world, GoldSign designer Adriano Goldschmied and Japan's Evisu, are collaborating on a limited-edition jeans style. The partnership will yield only 1,000 pairs - 500 for men and 500 for women - that will retail over £175 and be shipped to stores later this month. The concept was originally intended to mark the 10th anniversary of the Evisu brand in the U.S. and was to be sold solely through Evisu's boutiques. But interest in the jeans has grown so much that Peter Kaplow, Evisu's managing director, said expanding distribution to select retailers worldwide is being considered.

This is the latest collaboration for Los Angeles-based Goldschmied, who has designed jeans with retailers such as Barneys New York and Kitson, but his first with another designer. The venture underscores the importance of exclusivity in the denim market for expensive dungarees. The relationship between Evisu and Goldschmied started 10 years ago, when Kaplow and Goldschmied worked together to develop the Evisu label beyond its cult following in Japan and make it a more global brand.

"Goldschmied has a deep understanding of the Evisu brand, having known it for so long, so he was easily able to understand the interesting historical tension between its subtle, demure attention to detail and its bold, almost arrogant side," Kaplow said. Goldschmied developed the wash and fabric. The men's jean is a straight-leg style made from rigid denim, with gold kimono thread woven into it. The women's model is a skinny style and has a wax treatment. Both feature a back-pocket logo that is a hybrid of Evisu's abstract seagull drawing and a lower-case "g" in cursive script.