How 3×1 is Bringing Denim’s Storied History to Life
The denim industry is coming to a docuseries near you.
Scott Morrison, founder of denim label 3×1 is diving deep into denim to help tell its story.
Screening a snippet of the film “Common Thread” at the recent New York Denim Days, Morrison can be heard saying, “The industry I love is changing and I want to meet the people making it happen. This is a show about blue jeans, but it’s more than that. It’s about people. It’s about culture. It’s about our future. This is our common thread.”
When asked what prompted the project, Morrison said speaking on a panel following the trailer, that while we spend a lot of time going way back when it comes to fashion, much of what shaped denim happened in the ‘80s, with brands like Diesel and Evisu. So, Morrison said, “I wanted to take a different approach of telling people, or introducing people to that whole concept of over the last 30 years denim has really become this transformative product. It’s gone very clearly out of this really old school kind of work wear inspired thing to something that has a totally different meaning today….so I wanted to tell that story.”
Making an appearance both in the film and on the panel at Denim Days, Diesel’s Stefano Rosso said, “Diesel during its history I think did two things quite well. First, they developed a great product and product stories and innovation around denim. I think we were one of the pioneers…really to develop premium denim.”
In today’s changed world, however, great product isn’t enough.
“The biggest challenge today for brands like us is that our product is being [taken] for granted,” Rosso said. “Quality is not as interesting anymore for younger consumers and they don’t tend to listen to brands like they used to…Even driving a message about lifestyle is getting more and more difficult because the new brands are not the brands but the people.”
It’s also—as Candiani has evidenced with its laser focus—about sustainability.
Damiano Dall’Anese, EVP of the Italian denim supplier, said highlighting Alberto Candiani’s presence in the “Common Thread” film, that the fourth generation Candiani is “devoting all his time and all his efforts towards sustainability.”
“We basically recycle 100 percent of our waste, we try to reduce the emission, the amount of chemicals…the mill is basically a full recycling facility.” Those efforts have been helped by the fact that the mill is based within a natural park with its own strict regulations, so sustainability was a focus for Candiani before it became a trend. “That’s what the future is going to be in denim, becoming more and more sustainable.”
For Peter Maiden, founder of media production company Convicts and co-producer of Common Threads alongside Morrison, making the film was a lesson in both how denim is made and how the industry can collaborate.
“What was really cool is multiple brands—not to say they’re competitors—but people opening their doors and wanting to tell their stories as an industry, as a group and the genuine kind of friendship between everyone,” Maiden said on the Denim Days panel. “And then for us, it was kind of an educational moment…[of] let’s explain this very common piece of clothing through the different people involved.”
And it’s the story telling that bluebloods love best.
As Tricia Carey, director of global business development for denim at Lenzing Fibers, said, “The reason why we’re all here today and why we’re all here at Denim Days, is that we want to explain this story and tell more about denim. Explaining how it’s made, what makes it special, who are the people behind it. So, I think these are the types of forums that we have, but also there’s a lot happening on social media that’s explained more the nuances of denim…bringing us together and the partners in this film is one step towards that.”