Trompe L’œil Denim Is Fashion’s Surreal Subversion of a Classic
False waistbands, digital distressing, and leather builds are just some of the ways Our Legacy, Y/Project, Bottega Veneta, and others are changing the face of contemporary denim.
For maison Valentino’s FW23 show entitled Un Château, Pier Paolo Piccioli walked a pair of relaxed-fit, straight-leg jeans down the runway. Groundbreaking. Only, this wasn’t an ordinary pair of jeans; it was made of thousands of tiny beads sewn together, giving the garment an ethereal sheen in motion. It’s not the first time we’ve seen a luxury house subvert staple denim. We only need to look back to Bottega Veneta’s SS23 show, when Kate Moss walked down the runway in a pair of mind-bogglingly realistic stonewashed jeans made entirely of leather.
In 2023, this kind of optical illusion, or trompe l’oeil, has been deployed by many labels as a way of bringing surreal tension to timeless pieces like denim. Names like Y/Project, Our Legacy, and Jean Paul Gaultier have been leaders in the category, but labels are lining up to take the mantle as we look to bring new life to denim rotations.
Model wears Y/Project jeans.
Glenn Martens has been a major player in the new wave of denim. The designer’s work at Diesel and Y/Project has frequently overlaid prints to find new ways of looking at classic pieces. Here, an acid wash and undulating seam to each leg result in an eye-catching silhouette.
Model wears Our Legacy jeans.
It’s one thing buying a brand-new pair of jeans with preripped holes and distressed sections in them, but it’s a whole other game when those rips are merely printed onto immaculate denim. Our Legacy’s printed denim has been a major hit this season, offering unique textures and color palettes thanks to the digital finish.
Model wears VETEMENTS jeans.
VETEMENTS steers clear of surreal printing techniques and sticks to old-fashioned physical subversion. Flipping this pair of wildly baggy jeans inside out leaves features like the pockets, button fly, and seams on display for all to see.
Model wears rag & bone jeans.
Looks can be deceiving. Cut from rayon faille, this pair of trousers is a long way from denim. The soft, lightweight fabric means that you can get that heavyweight denim look even when the temperature won’t permit the real thing.
Model wears Y/Project dress.
Maxi dresses are proving to be a central pillar of the summer 2023 wardrobe, but none are like this one from Y/Project and Jean Paul Gaultier. Printed with a full outfit from T-shirt to straight-leg denim, this maxi dress crosses boundaries and has a lot of fun while doing it.
Model wears Bottega Veneta pants.
Bottega Veneta’s leather denim understandably made waves when it landed for SS23. Hitting shelves alongside a similarly confusing plaid shirt that swapped flannel for high-end leather, this pair of pants perfectly encapsulates a storied leather house that’s always looking for what’s next.
Model wears Balmain jeans.
Balmain has a knack for finding the beating pulse when it comes to denim. Remember the biker jeans era? Thankfully, that one’s over, and Balmain’s exploration of the trompe l’oeil style is a lot more creative. Featuring the printed stone drapery of a Greek statue, this pair of graphic jeans finds the tension between the contemporary and the ancient.
Model wears Diesel jeans.
There are low-rise jeans, and then there’s Diesel’s 1969 D-Ebbey jeans. But wait. Fitted with a confusing corset-style panel to the waist, this pair actually features a deceptively high rise, with a false waistband to give the impression otherwise.
- Date: August 2, 2023
