Blue Blooded: Denim Hunters and Jeans Culture

After having read this amazing book, this reader suddenly became aware that there is a cult of denim aficionados, “denimheads” to be exact, as well as a culture of denim. Blue Blooded is a hybrid telling that fluctuates between study, story, and an encyclopedic accounting of everything you ever wanted to know about denim, beginning with the raw material, dying, finishes, construction, care, designing, collecting, and retailing to give you some idea of the depth and breadth that the authors delve into to enlighten the reader.

At times the book is wildly technical, if not textbook-y and analytical with its explanations and may not be of interest to all readers; but if you can wade through these sections, Blue Blooded should prove to be enormously fascinating and satisfying  to anyone who considers themselves a fashionphile.

The reader is offered a glossary of terms pertaining to denim as well as designer profiles, manufacturers, brands, and retailers who all tell their story of how they became “denimheads.” Most of the selected designers will be unknown to the reader but they are equally captivating in their accountings, knowledge, and accomplishments concerning the iconography and culture of denim.

There is no question that the minutiae of information and modus operandi behind the design and manufacture of jeans, workwear, western wear, and more might come across as arcane or esoteric but if you own jeans and wear jeans, these fine points and facts will suddenly make you look at your jeans with a totally different mindset. It is conceivable that the reader will even search out the spotlighted shops that sell these brands as the authors have actually piqued one’s curiosity as to why and how these specific brands have become so unique and in some cases collectible.

If the reader is so inclined to explore this facet of fashion in an even more in-depth way, they might want to read Ametora: How Japan Saved American Style, which also explores the subject from a slightly different yet compelling point of view.