October, 2009

Marc Allison jeans is based in LA, where the line is also manufactured. The Marc of Marc Allison Jeans is a 30-year textile industry veteran. He began in knits and transitioned to denim. Marc became obsessed with creating a jean that stretches in both warp and weft and worked with textile innovator Invista to create the XFIT fabric. Marc Allison’s XFIT denim integrates Supima cotton making it the most luxurious and supple denim on the market. A few pieces in the line debuted at LA Fashion Week during the Directives West runway show at the California Market Center as well. Here is a DenimBlog exclusive interview about the brand and some images of their collection.

DB: What inspired you the most when creating your brand?

Everybody talked about fit and comfort- but nobody recognized how to achieve it. Coming from a textile background, I realize how important it is for the fabric to compliment the pattern.

DB: Do you have a favorite cut you have designed?

I suppose I could say the skinny is my favorite, only because it seems to be the most difficult style to pair up with comfort. It was always my intention that no matter what style is chosen, when the customer put on that jean, the end result would be “wow, is this comfortable and it fits great”.

DB: What has been your favorite memory/experience since Marc Allison was founded?

I have to say that even though I know the marc allison line is beautiful – there is nothing like hearing the affirmation from others- focus group participants and retailers.

DB: How many pairs of jeans do you own?

I wish I could say I owned a pair of marc allison jeans, but, currently, we’re only making them for women. However, I happen to live in my jeans so have about 15 pair.

DB: What is your latest collection about?

Feel the fit. Experience the difference. It’s all about fit and comfort.

As I said before, coming from a textile background, I understand how important it is to create the ultimate fabric. Five years ago I was approached by a textile mill to come up with something new and different for the market. Pulling from my experience with knits, I suggested the revolutionary idea of creating a two way stretch denim. Through further exploration of the concept, the mill I represented learned that Invista, a global integrated producer of polymers and fibers, had already begun research on the creation of a yarn that would allow denim to stretch in the length as well as the width. Working together with Invista, the x-fit was born and introduced to the market, a fabric that offers the ultimate fit, comfort, and recovery. It’s been a three-year evolution of fabric development culminating in the birth of Marc Allison jeans. Today’s fabric has been further enhanced with Supima cotton, which brings the package of fit and comfort to a whole new level. Our jeans fit as good at the end of the day as they do when you put them on.

DB: Are there any new trends coming out next season that we should be keeping an eye out for?

I believe strongly that everything is going to become cleaner looking.

DB: What is the best feature of Marc allison Jeans (fit, wash, pockets etc)?

There are many attributes of marc allison jeans that can be considered the “best” feature. Without a doubt. comfort, fit, and recovery, coupled with fashionable styling.

DB: We all love denim, but what is it that makes denim so important to you?

Though denim is cyclical, even at its low point, it is still an international staple and is very versatile. It is my livelihood and passion.

DB: What are your denim predictions for next season?

I think denim is on an up-cycle.

DB: Can you tell us a bit more about your brand?

We believe that up until now, there was a void in the market for fashion and comfort. marc allison jeans will fill that void. We offer a beautiful looking garment that will fit better and feel better than any other brand. When you put on our jean, you will feel the luxury of supima cotton which complements the innovative technology (X-FIT) that was put into the manufacturing of the fabric.

DB: What makes your brand so different from the others out there?

Put on the jeans- – Feel the fit. Experience the difference.

DB: How did you come to be such a denim enthusiast?

Los Angeles rapidly grew to become the denim capital of the world. At first I said “wow, what a quick way for me to grow a business selling denim with my textile background.” But selling denim quickly stopped being a business and evolved into a passion. Once you work with denim, you realize the beauty and depth of the fabric. It’s like no other.

DB: Why did you decide to create your brand?

You know, I’ve sold denim to all the premier denim designers. And just like a back seat driver, figured I knew how to do it better. And after developing marc allison jeans; I know I was right.

DB: Lastly is there anything else you want to add we haven’t asked?

For years, I would walk into a retail store and see the rows and rows of denim labels. I would contemplate starting my own line, but, surely, with all those labels and being in recessionary times, why would anyone thinking clearly feel they’d have a chance in today’s market? I often contemplate that definition of insanity “doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results” so realize, to succeed in the market place we have to be different. And as a textile person- not a manufacturer or a designer, we figured out how to be different- through true fit and comfort complimenting fashion.