Denim Head Threads: An Inside Look at Ralph Tharpe’s Style
Individuals in the denim industry are focused on making goods that wind up in other people’s wardrobes, but how do they curate their own closets? This series offers an inside look into the personal style and shopping behavior of the people behind jeans.
Ralph Tharpe is passionate about preserving the history of denim through his work as a founding board member of the White Oak Legacy Foundation, which is bringing denim production back to the historic White Oak mill in North Carolina. This interest in denim heritage translates over to his wardrobe.
After working for companies including Cone Denim and Artistic Fabric Mills, Ralph has turned his attention to consulting. One of his main focuses is sustainability, and lowering the eco impact of jeans.
Read on to discover Ralph’s denim wardrobe preferences.
Carved in Blue: Describe your (denim) personal style.
Ralph: I am not really a stylish person. Selvage worn in from raw is what I wear most.
Carved in Blue: What’s your preferred cut for denim? What do you like about it?
Ralph: Regular fit—it’s easy to work in.
Carved in Blue: Who is your denim style icon?
Ralph: Anyone in denim made before 1969. Sorry, I am super old school.
Carved in Blue: What’s the oldest pair that’s still in rotation?
Ralph: I have two outdoor work jeans that were made of loomstate in 2007. The pattern is a basic regular fit adjusted to prevent leg twist and to reach my size after shrinkage. The highs and lows are extreme since I put them in the dryer after the first wash, because I couldn’t wait to see if the legs would twist. They didn’t.
My Roy’s were my favorite and they are just retired. Raleigh Denim’s “Silver Selvage” for the Barney’s Co-op 25th anniversary are still in rotation. They were worn in from raw for over 10 years.
Carved in Blue: What does Carved in Blue mean to you?
Ralph: I follow Carved in Blue to get the latest news in about sustainable denim and jeans.