Denim. It has been seen in legend sailing the ships of Columbus and outfitting the American cowboy. This ubiquitous fabric gained recognition in the United States during the Gold Rush, when it was known as a fabric of the workers, a low-labor garment that wasn’t seen as suitable outside of the mines.

Considered to be the most significant event in the first half of the 19^th century, the Gold Rush only lasted a few years sandwiched between the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and the Civil War in 1861 when it ushered in an era of opportunity and gain for all who migrated to the west coast. After the Gold Rush, denim continued as a labor fabric and by the 20^th century evolved into a rebel’s fabric. Fashion Designers turned denim into an expression of the revolution, changing this working labor fabric into a never-ending trend.

This body of work traces the rise of denim in American fashion to the Gold Rush, juxtaposing modern shapes and contemporary fashion trends as an expression of rebellion with the fabric’s humble origins of a fabric of honest hard work.

 

The Denim Rush

The Denim Rush is an expression of rebellion through denim, using modern lines and shapes that reflect the rise of denim and the Gold Rush. My aesthetic, which combines function, individuality, and geometric shapes all combined with an urban edge, dictates the style of my designs. In these pieces, I combined my personal style with my inspiration of triangular silhouettes seen during the 1850s, twin sets seen in modern fashion trends, and a mixture of denim to create the juxtaposition of the Gold Rush with the rise of denim in American fashion.

All of my pieces share elements such as denim, manipulated edges, zipper finishing, and patterns that create unity between these singular items. Each of my women’s tops and skirts are unique but remain cohesive through a continuation of shapes and similar finishing. My Changshan-inspired shirts share the same inspiration, representing cultural individuality through unique designs made cohesive through shape and finish. My men’s pants and shorts are styled to fit the current trends in menswear that touch on androgyny and ambiguity through fabric choice and technological advances.

 

Materials

Denim comes in several weights and washes, and the line’s women’s pieces are constructed of 11.5–12-ounce denim that maintains the garments’ feminine lines and shapes. The line’s men’s Changshan-inspired shirts are constructed of a lighter four-ounce denim for comfort and flexible wearability. The men’s pants and joggers are constructed in a seven-ounce denim with ten percent spandex and a snakeskin gold leaf print.

I used a combination or light, medium, and dark wash denim, zippers as a form of hardware, contrasting fabrics, and manipulated edges throughout my pieces. During the process of construction I used different weights of denim being conscious of which weights will hold the shapes I designed and fit my inspiration for the collection.

 

 

 

Motifs

The finished edges of denim bolts are used as a common motif between pieces for both men and women. Washes fluctuate between light, medium, and dark finishes in several weights, the trimming and finishing of which were decided in the process of construction.

Inspired by immigration during the Gold Rush, cowboys, and schoolboys, I juxtaposed this iconography against the modern rebel. The Chinese Changshan-style shirt is inspired by the Chinese miners who were instrumental in the Snake River Canyon Gold Rush. The men’s pants and shorts are inspired by cowboys and schoolboys and include additional elements such as spandex and prints, such as the gold snakeskin pattern that references both the prized metal of the Gold Rush and the Gold Belt’s Snake River. For the women’s tops, skirts, and dresses, I used shapes seen in women’s wear during the 1850s, such as V shaped bodices, and princess seams.

Design and Construction

Triangles are prominent in these original patterns and are used to complement the figure. This process requires a sloper, which was copied and then redesigned to fit each piece. All female pieces were drafted as dress patterns first and then separated into skirts and tops to ensure matching seams in the final sets.

For closures, I wanted to replicate the zippers I was using throughout my pieces. For easier access and wearability, I used separating zippers in my women’s tops and extended the zippers of the dresses down below the hip.

The men’s Changshan-inspired shirts were constructed using the same initial pattern with variation in the wash of the denim and finishing. The men’s pants and shorts required the same process. A single pattern was created for the men’s pants and shorts, which was then altered to fit the concepts for individual pieces. To create some ambiguity, I eliminated the look of pockets and hid them in the waistband construction. The men’s shorts have the same hidden pockets and are lined in a gold snakeskin.