Lorna, Editor's Archive

Malibu Denim is a new brand that just launched at Coterie earlier this year. This unique new denim features a cashmere blend in a variety of styles and washes making these jeans extremely soft and reminiscent of the laid back Malibu lifestyle.

New York, NY– (April 2009) – Diana Sedigi is the designer and stylist behind Malibu Denim, For 56 years, Diana’s father, a denim Guru in Europe, owned and operated a denim mill with subsidiary divisions that included laundering in Italy, manufacturing in Turkey and denim design and styling in the United Kingdom. Her private label department produced and manufactured for many denim companies, including Diesel, Plein Sud, Kenzo and Replay. She always wanted to expand the business to the United States premium market, but with the strong Euro against the weak dollar it was not feasible. Five years ago, she decided to resign her position as the head of the denim design and styling division to pursue her own denim line.

When Diana settled in Malibu she fell in love with the lifestyle and sought to create her own line of denim that would duplicate this California sensibility. To create the soft feel she desired, each pair was blended with cashmere allowing for more comfort and wearability. In addition, she tested a variety of unique techniques to recreate the sun-bathed and salt-corroded looks of the Malibu beach.

Unlike European brands, Diana places the most concentration in the fit as well as the detail and washes designed for the real American woman. For the past 3 years, she studied and evaluated each denim brand that has major shares in the United States premium market. From this extensive research she has developed the brand’s original signature, and most obvious detail; her modern and unique approach to the back yoke. The straight and proportioned yoke gives a contemporary, perky, sexy and sophisticated look to the derriere. In addition, her fabric, with a cashmere touch, is made exclusively per her requirements from Italian mills.

Silhouettes range from riding and classic legging jeans to the new super-relaxed, five-pocket slouchy jean. Malibu Denim will be available at select retailers nationwide including Intermix, Fred Segal, National Jeans and Planet Blue. Retail prices range from $160 – $200.

The Malibu lifestyle is the overall inspiration behind the brand, and Diana’s design aesthetic mirrors the Malibu she loves. Through the use of a variety of unique treatments developed to recreate this lifestyle, the denim has taken on an authentic sun-baked and salt-worn look. This particular look is created by the same laundry that produces Citizen of Humanity, Current/Elliot and GoldSign. Diana’s original signature is the fabric; the first of its kind with a cashmere blend, made exclusively per Diana’s specifications and imported from Italy.

Malibu Denim silhouettes fit a very broad range of body types and include a feminine boyfriend, comfortable and sexy legging jeans as well as chic and modern boot cut, straight, and skinny styles. Malibu offers sizes from size 24 to size 32. The sizes are true-to-size. The boyfriend styles run larger to give a slouchy and casual feel.