Hudson Jeans

A typical walk through the Brickyard becomes a first-hand realization that the United States is indeed a Denim Nation.

A closer look at the ubiquitous fashion choice of jeans reveals that Levi Strauss might have some competition - designer jeans, which have become so popular that fashion magazines have coined them "the new black pants."

Formerly, only a true fashion follower might instantly recognize the swirl of Sevens for All Mankind, the small stitched curve of Paper Denim and Cloth or the barely detectable D that signifies Diesel. Now both men and women alike are paying 130 to upward around $200 for these newest must-haves.

Mike Hernandez, a sophomore in communication media, is the perfect example.

Hernandez recently caught on to the designer jean trend when a pair of Sevens caught his eye.

"I saw a pair of Sevens and liked the pocket design," Hernandez said.

It might just be a pair of jeans, but for communication sophomore Jessica Branson, it's a necessity for every male.

"Everyone needs a good pair of jeans to go out in, even guys," Branson said.

Branson has firsthand experience with this trend because her boyfriend recently started wearing Sevens.

"I like that he wears [Sevens] because it shows that he has a sense of style," Branson said.

Like others, Hernandez may have initially been reeled in by something as small as the pocket design. But the trying on of the pair is what hooked him.

Perhaps some guys simply like to invest in nice things. Or maybe a girlfriend talks one into the first purchase. For Hernandez, the fit is the primary factor in his designer denim purchases. read more...

Meredith Carter
Chris Reynolds/TECHNICIAN