Denim Gets its Own Movie

Denim Gets its Own Movie

Rarely is an article of clothing so iconic that it gets a whole movie made about it—but denim has never been a run-of-the-mill article of clothing.

Denim is a staple, a symbol of culture that spans generations and transcends trends and fads and anything else so often fleeting in fashion.

And the aim Christian D. Bruun had in making his documentary, Blue Gold: American Jeans, was to tell denim’s story and highlight “how one garment connects us all,” a snippet from the website for the movie reads. The two-hour film just released last month has already been selected for several film festivals including the Hollywood Film Festival in 2014 and the Cebu International Film Festival last year.

“We start our journey in the American West, and we travel around the world with jeans hunter Eric Schrader. An ambassador of Americana, Eric trades in the history and values that have made blue jeans the most expensive and sought-after item of vintage clothing on the planet,” the film’s website notes.

Blue Gold travels the journey of denim, following the oldest pair of Levi’s 501 jeans in the world, showing designer Tommy Hilfiger sharing his thoughts and visiting a shop selling denim that rockstar Iggy Pop wore. The film charts denim’s evolution from a hippie fashion statement in the 60s to its move to the U.K. to how holes and starch found their way into denim.

“A symbol of youth, freedom, and rebellion, blue jeans leads us through fashion history, music, and subculture dreams, to the lost tradition of American manufacturing, exploring the responsibility of Americana in a globalized world of cultural exchange, transparency, and innovation,” the film site reads.

In short—as Bruun hopes viewers will learn—every pair of denim tells a story.

Check out the trailer!