Call it what you want: whether you're a Canadian tuxedo kind of guy or a female who falls for the fellas in a Texan tuxedo, denim-on-denim is in the air. Last night at the VMAs, Katy Perry and rapper Riff Raff stepped onto the red carpet in coordinating head-to-toe denim looks. They were, of course, referencing one of the most iconic (and debated) moments of the early 2000s-fashion, Britney and Justin’s 2001 matching patchwork denim outfits.
While that iconic Britney and Justin pic has been reblogged more times than you've probably washed your jeans your whole lifetime, little is known about the mastermind that created Britney's denim gown... until now. After a little Googling, we found the designer, GIOVANNI FAJARDO, who created the piece back in 2001, and asked him to share his thoughts on the denim (on denim on denim on denim...) trend, then and now.
"The idea was to make something really cool with denim in a deconstructive way," said Giovanni, who as head designer for the label Bodyworship created the dress with Britney's then-stylists KURT & BART. (The team did other crucial Britney denim moments of the early 2000s, including THIS low-rise-short-slash-stilletto-boot). "I was given ten pairs of Levis jeans. It was my job to put together and drape the piece and we turned it into one amazing gown."
"We used to dress her for every video and every red carpet in something really cool," Giovanni said. "She loved the denim."
Of course, others didn't love it quite as much, and the Britney-JT photo has had its moment on more than one worst dressed list. Yet in recent years, the look has made a comeback, albeit with fewer patchworks. At OC, brands like Marques'Almeida––whose inaugural 2011 collection shook fashion world perceptions of denim––69, and Faustine Steinmetz are putting experimental spins on the fabric, with innovative washes and weaves. Even Katy Perry and Riff Raff's ensembles, created by Versace Couture, are cheeky nods to the brand's blinged-out past. And no mention of current denim would be complete without Jeremy Scott's playful pieces for Moschino, like a STRAPLESS DRESS whose bust features a belt and fly. Britney would certainley approve.
"Denim is the most comfortable fabric out there I believe. It's wearable and people can wear it anywhere," said Giovanni. "I think denim is a little quiet right now to be honest; it’s too repetetive."
Of course, the original Canadian Tuxedo predates both Marques'Almeida and Britney Spears. Levi's created the first one for Bing Crosby in 1951, though credit for popularizing the term is mostly awarded to Super Troopers. "How's it going Denim Dan?" a State Trooper comm
While that iconic Britney and Justin pic has been reblogged more times than you've probably washed your jeans your whole lifetime, little is known about the mastermind that created Britney's denim gown... until now. After a little Googling, we found the designer, GIOVANNI FAJARDO, who created the piece back in 2001, and asked him to share his thoughts on the denim (on denim on denim on denim...) trend, then and now.
"The idea was to make something really cool with denim in a deconstructive way," said Giovanni, who as head designer for the label Bodyworship created the dress with Britney's then-stylists KURT & BART. (The team did other crucial Britney denim moments of the early 2000s, including THIS low-rise-short-slash-stilletto-boot). "I was given ten pairs of Levis jeans. It was my job to put together and drape the piece and we turned it into one amazing gown."
"We used to dress her for every video and every red carpet in something really cool," Giovanni said. "She loved the denim."
Of course, others didn't love it quite as much, and the Britney-JT photo has had its moment on more than one worst dressed list. Yet in recent years, the look has made a comeback, albeit with fewer patchworks. At OC, brands like Marques'Almeida––whose inaugural 2011 collection shook fashion world perceptions of denim––69, and Faustine Steinmetz are putting experimental spins on the fabric, with innovative washes and weaves. Even Katy Perry and Riff Raff's ensembles, created by Versace Couture, are cheeky nods to the brand's blinged-out past. And no mention of current denim would be complete without Jeremy Scott's playful pieces for Moschino, like a STRAPLESS DRESS whose bust features a belt and fly. Britney would certainley approve.
"Denim is the most comfortable fabric out there I believe. It's wearable and people can wear it anywhere," said Giovanni. "I think denim is a little quiet right now to be honest; it’s too repetetive."
Of course, the original Canadian Tuxedo predates both Marques'Almeida and Britney Spears. Levi's created the first one for Bing Crosby in 1951, though credit for popularizing the term is mostly awarded to Super Troopers. "How's it going Denim Dan?" a State Trooper comm