Over the years, blue jeans have evolved from work pants – riveted at points of stress to add strength – to a fashionable staple seen on runways from Milan to New York. Today's jeans may be embellished and chic, or classically relaxed. In 1872, when Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis patented their improvement – on what was commonly known as waist overalls – the thought of blue jeans as high fashion was unlikely. Furthermore, the notion of using glue to assemble a pair of jeans would have gone against the entire foundation of what Strauss and Davis were trying to achieve in terms of durability and practicality. Almost 140 years later, the blue jean has evolved from work-wear to couture. The newest – and one of the most exciting – trends in fashion to come out of Amsterdam is Gluejeans, by G+N designers Gerrit Uittenbogaard and Natasja Martens.
While the original blue jeans were held together by stitches and rivets, Gluejeans' denim pieces are glued together. One wouldn't think it was possible to create wearable jeans – or any trousers – that were glued at the seams. After finding glue that could withstand the rigors of holding fabric together in the form of pants, Dutch designers Uittenbogaard and Martens tested their Gluejeans over a period of two years for strength and durability. Gluejeans are clean cut dry denim and possess a distinct look with visible red or black glue seams. Not only have they added a milestone to the history of blue jeans, but Uittenbogaard and Martens have also created a unique twist on a traditional piece of clothing.
During an interview for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion Awards – for which they were nominated – Uittenbogaard and Martens discussed how they were inspired by daily life. Uittenbogaard noted that the two is fond of "trying to find things out, messing around a little bit, using very strange different materials." Martens' research of materials is critical to their designs as well as to the form and atmosphere that the designs take on. Atmosphere might seem out of the realm of a discussion on high fashion, yet Uittenbogaard and Martens "don't consider themselves fashion designers." They feel that they are, "Designers in the field of fashion."
Gluejeans have won a 2008 Dutch Design Award and have been nominated for the Audi Design Award. Handmade in the Netherlands, the limited edition Gluejeans were recently presented by Droog as part of Amsterdam International Fashion Week, January 24 – February 1, 2009. Droog is an Amsterdam-based organization originally formed to promote the works of young, Dutch designers. Over the years, Droog has developed into a brand known for its leadership in and distribution of cutting edge design products throughout the world. Marketed to both men and women, Gluejeans are available in European sizes 24 to 38 and have invisible reinforcements instead of rivets. For more information on this product line, visit gluejeans.com.
