Denham Teams with Advance Denim to Dress Athletes for the Paris Games
Amsterdam-based jeans maker Denham is getting into the sporting spirit of the upcoming Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games by outfitting Team Netherlands.
The brand has developed a collection using its innovative Kinetic Denim material, developed alongside Advance Denim. Keeping in mind the needs of the competitors, the fabric is an ultra-lightweight 6 oz. denim that is infused with thermoregulation performance materials. Adding more breathability as well as durability, it features a double-weave construction.
In addition to the pieces for the athletes, Denham crafted merchandise for fans of Team NL to show their support, ranging from a wool and leather varsity jacket to hoodies, tees, hats and a skateboard deck.
Ahead of the Olympic opening ceremony on Friday, Carved in Blue chatted with Denham’s founder and chief creative officer Jason Denham and the team at Advance Denim to hear more about the collection and product development partnership.
Carved in Blue: What was the concept behind your collection for Team Netherlands?
Jason: My first priority was to create a collection that makes the athletes look and feel amazing, to feel strong and comfortable, to be contemporary for 20-30-year-olds and to respect the Dutch identity and flag. To find a look, silhouette and color palette that works for all genders and body types.
Carved in Blue: How did your interactions and feedback from the Olympic and Paralympic athletes shape the direction for your looks?
Jason: Hugely—this was truly a collaboration between my design team and the athletes. We dressed 1,000 athletes and coaches with strong minds and strong opinions. The result is a shared success between Denham, Team NL and Advance Denim. The material looks and feels great and is truly “fit for purpose.”
Carved in Blue: Why did you need to go with custom fabrics for this? Why did you choose to partner with Advance Denim?
Jason: Denham is a denim brand—it is at the core of our DNA. Denim was our first-choice material for this project, but we knew we would have to create a “fit for purpose” denim to match the Olympic challenges. It’s in Paris—potentially 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), so we had to create a cloth that’s breathable, soft touch, lightweight and easy move. Amy [Wang, general manager of Advance Denim] is a magician when it comes to technical developments; I trust fully in her expertise.
Carved in Blue: What was the development process like for the denim pieces?
Jason: The fabric development was very smooth because we had a very clear vision and brief. The complicated part was the fitting and pattern creation. We made more than 250 fitting samples to suit the body types of Dutch Olympians. A monumental task, but very rewarding in the end.
Carved in Blue: Working with Denham, what were the goals for the fabric performance? How did you develop textiles that would work best for the athletes?
Advance Denim: The primary objective of this collaboration is to develop a featherlight, thermally-regulating fabric that will provide superior comfort for the NL team during the Summer Olympic Games. Jason’s vision is to create a fabric that can serve not only as a competition uniform, but also as a versatile, everyday smart garment.
To achieve the desired performance, we engineered cutting-edge materials: wafer and aerogel woven with a distinctive technique that resulted in a fabric that is not only impeccably lightweight and breathable, but also possess excellent moisture-wicking properties. We are confident that this collaborative effort will yield an innovative solution that meets the rigorous demands of elite athletic competition, while also offering practical, everyday applications for the NL team and beyond.
Carved in Blue: Why did you choose to use TENCEL™ in some of the textiles for this collection?
Advance Denim: In addition to the technical performance attributes, we have also integrated sustainable elements into the fabric of design in order to underscore our commitment to developing a truly holistic, responsible solution for the NL team as well. TENCEL™ is definitely our prime option in this aspect. Moreover, with superior softness of the TENCEL™ fibers, we are able to enhance the comfort level of the uniform and elevates athletes’ wearing experience.
Carved in Blue: As you mentioned, the fabrics created for this collection are highly technical and include materials like aerogel. How did you incorporate and blend the insulation material with more conventional denim materials like cotton, TENCEL™ and elastane?
Advance Denim: The nano-sized technical materials like aerogel actually infused into the yarns that makes the application process super smooth and easy. And the best part is, it plays really nicely with conventional materials such as cotton and TENCEL™, just like a seamless integration that opens up possibilities for new fabric blends and designs.
Carved in Blue: Will these materials be available for other brands that want to use them? What product development opportunities does this open for denim designers?
Advance Denim: These materials are applied in our various developments. The utilization of this technically advanced fabric provides denim designers a heightened degree of versatility and creativity in their design process. This also allows them to push the boundaries of traditional denim design and develop products that stand out in the market by offering a differentiated aesthetic and enhanced performance. The technical properties of the fabric enable denim designers to create garments that are not only visually appealing but also highly functional, making the fabric an ideal choice to cater to the needs of modern consumers who demand apparel that seamlessly transitions between outdoor activities and everyday urban wear.
Carved in Blue: What does this collection show about the future and potential for performance denim and material innovation in the category?
Jason: Paris 24 will be the biggest Olympic collaboration between sport and fashion. I think this will be a very important stage to push denim forward. Denim fabric is so diverse, I am a big believer that denim can evolve to meet customers lifestyle needs.
Carved in Blue: In your opinion, what is the relationship between sports and fashion?
Jason: We are enjoying our honeymoon; let’s stay married for a happy long-term future.