Jeans: forever in fashion

Though we don’t know their exact origin (denim from Nîmes (“de Nîmes”), jeans from Genoa, or maybe a US manufacturer?), it’s generally accepted that jeans descend from the riveted trousers patented in 1873 by Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis. Practical and sturdy, they were first spotted in factories and the US Navy before becoming a universal item of clothing, worn worldwide, starting with Hollywood. Popularised by cinema icons from James Dean to Marilyn Monroe, they played a part in all the 20th century’s protest movements,worn by everybody including rockers,hippies, punks, etc. In the 1980s, they headed to the world of haute-couture, Yves Saint-Laurent going so far as to say hat he had “only one regret, not inventing jeans”.
 

The downside of jeans 

But jeans aren’t all good. They have a major environmental impact. According to ADEME (the French environmental transition agency), it takes between 7,000 and 11,000 litres of water to manufacture one pair of jeans. And that’s without taking account of the multiple processes, from sanding to dying, that might make it stylish but are extremely expensive in environmentaland social terms. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way, particularly in the Lyon region where we’re not short on ideas to go about jeans in an environmentally-friendly way. The jeans manufacturer Le Gaulois in Décines for instance has banned cotton jeans: “To grow a kilo of traditional cotton, you have to use between 15,000 and 25,000 litres of water, 2 kilograms of chemicals, and 75 grams of pesticides. You then multiply that by the 70 million pairs of jeans sold every year in France and 2.3 billion pairs sold worldwide”, explains Jean-Charles Tchakirian, its founder who decided to use linenand hemp to manufacture his jeans. Both crops grow in Normandy and don’t require irrigation. Another creative and environmentally-friendly idea for wearing denim? Upcycling! Lyon-based creator Marthe Duval hunts down ripped or stained jeans to turn into stunning bags. Plus don’t forget to check out vintage stores to unearth well-cut, super-sturdy second-hand jeans, particularly as the Lyon area has plenty of workshops where you’ll find nimble fingers to adjust or repair your favourite denim.

90’s spirit are you there?

Organised on 5 and 6 October at La Sucrière, the theme of the 26th Vintage Fashion Market will be “90s, minimaland grunge”. It’s enough to bring many memorable denim looks flooding back, from Beverly Hills 90210 to Kurt Cobain. Make sure to visit: the stalls set up by So France is co, which manufactures denim items in France, and Vintage Flea Market, which imports jeans from the US and Japan.
 

© Julie Laurent

Vintage Fashion Market

Fair or show

49 - 50 quai Rambaud - 69002 Lyon 2ème
04 78 17 30 17

www.marchemodevintage.com

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Made in Lyon

© LeGaulois_jeans

It was when he took over the familyrun jeans workshop set up by his parents back in 1974 that Jean-Charles Tchakirian created the Le Gauloisbrand. Manufactured in Décines, hisjeans are certified and guaranteedmade in France from linen and hemp to reduce their environmental impact. 
From €159.

Not a kilometre more 

© 1083

The brand 1083, which is based in Romans-sur-Isère, promises to manufacture its jeans within a maximum radius of 1,083 km. It’s a far cry from fast-fashion jeans that can travel up to 65,000 km before reaching our closets! Bonus: these 100% made in France jeans are also organic right down to the buttons! 
From €99 to €199. 

Denim waist bag

© Little Fabrics

Fancy trying your hand at home upcycling? Head down to Les Curieux, where Little Fabrics are putting on a workshop where you can make your own splendid denim patchwork waist bag. All the fabrics used (elastane-free jeans, not too thick to avoid making sewing too difficult) were selected from the Notre Dame homeless shelter.
Workshop €65.

The perfect pair of vintage jean

© Pexels Karolina Grabowska

La Pure gives pride of place to vintage jeans for men, women and children, too. How can you find theperfect pair? “Above all don’t trustthe label! A size 28 from the 80s definitely won’t match a modern-daysize 28!” What’s the best way to go about it? Visit the store to get professional advice.

A 100%-upcycled bag

© Marthe Duval

In her little Lyon workshop, Marthe Duval dreamed up a superb round upcycled denim bag: the Hobo Bag. “I wanted to work on jeans as a way of thumbing my nose at the 90s, 2000s and fast fashion”, explains the creator who personally hunts down all the jeans used to make her bags. From €79 to €210.

© Seconde Poche

Don’t be a wallflower

As she was customising the pockets of a shirt her father was about to give away and whose pattern she liked, Laura Miniou came up with the idea of Seconde Poche (“second pocket”). Since then, she has been giving a well-deserved fresh lease of life to old-fashioned fabrics and abandoned denim jackets and dungarees. The result? Unique, ethical and poetic denim items. Denim jacket from €110.

© Les Réparables

Pour un jean immortel (ou presque)

immortal (or near enough) Getting your jeans repaired means not only enjoying your favourite trousers for at least another year but also saving 563.2 litres of water, 51.9 kWh of energy and 2.8 kg of CO2 equivalent. That’s why we’re big fans of Les Réparables, who repaired a total of 1,127 pairs of jeans in their Vendée andLyon workshops in 2023, up 143% on the previous year.

lesreparables.fr

© WeDressFair.

Le chouchou de WeDressFair

Favourite Though the Nudie Jeans brand isn’t from Lyon (nobody’s perfect), it is distributed by WeDressFair, an essential ethical fashion store on the slopes of La Croix-Rousse. To feature in their selection, products must meet the requirements of a charter guaranteeing their traceability and eco-responsibility. This is the case of Nudie Jeans, the Swedish brand that makes timeless, sturdy, and life-long repairable jeans. 
From €119 to €199.