Andrea Moore discovers new meaning to distressed denim

25 April 2015
By Fashion Quarterly

When designer Andrea Moore was looking to add the perfect pair of jeans to her line this season, she wanted them to look lived-in. Perfectly distressed, with threadbare knees and the occasional accidentally-on-purpose tear. So she did what most designers do, and researched denim suppliers to look at different available fabrics and finishes.

What she found was surprising. The international practice of sandblasting denim to achieve a worn-in look, undertaken in factories in China and Bangladesh that supply jeans to western countries, is known to cause serious health problems for workers in the vicinity. Many now use hand sanding techniques, but with mass quantities in demand, the work is arduous. Other chemical processes are equally questionable.

Instead, to achieve the look she was after, Moore conceived her #EarnYourDenim campaign. Deciding the ripped and worn fingerprint of distressed denim should be earned, rather than bought by the wearer, Moore is selling three styles of safe ‘virgin’ clean, simple dark-wash denim this season. Buyers can either ‘earn’ their denim by simply wearing it, or they can take advantage of special ‘Earn Your Denim’ workshops in Moore’s six stores nationwide. Workbenches will be set out with the tools needed to customise each pair of jeans purchased. Whether you prefer a subtle wear and tear or a fully torn effect, staff will be on hand to help achieve the desired look.

Jeans are available in two cuts, the Running Horse Skinnies, and the High Riders. Each jean is available in three different colourways; indigo, black, and black with gold stitching and cost $225 each.

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