Trade Shows A/W 20/21

Project, Liberty & WWD Magic: Denim

Las Vegas, February 2020: Sustainability leads the charge in Las Vegas where both men's and women's
collections shout about established and new developments. Fleeting trends are forgone in favour of perennial
favourites, with winterised and performance materials offering updates

Levi's
 A revised show line-up did
little to deter the crowds in
Vegas, with denim proving a
focal point at Project 
It was a season of change in Las Vegas. With Agenda
absent, Liberty Fairs occupied a larger space at the
Sands Expo Center. Remaining relatively true to its
longstanding look and feel, brands ranged from
contemporary and heritage labels to sartorial suiting,
T r end Fo r um
with a peppering of those that perhaps sought refuge
here after Agenda's disappearance. With a reduced
show offer came a lighter footfall, with the typically
buzzy entrance quieter than previous seasons.
Liber t y
A tale of two halves, show floors were heaving at
Project, held with WWD Magic and FN Platform at the
Mandalay Bay this season before they relocate en
masse back to the LVCC. This was the place to be for
denim. A dedicated dual-gender Denim Room housed
big name brands as well smaller labels, while panel
discussions and talks took place in a central hub.
The Las Vegas trade shows remain a representation of
what is trending across the US (outside of New York),
and therefore, while some transient trends can be felt
here, commercial denim mainstays remain top priority.

Mavi Jack & Jo nes

 Action Points
With little shift in silhouettes for denim from one
season to the next, change comes courtesy of
material updates for A/W 20/21. Sustainable
practices are the driving force for developments.
1. Put sustainability at the fore: from established
to emerging initiatives, brands big and small look
for ways to make their denim offer sustainable.
Use sales collateral to raise awareness in-store. 
Wr angler
2. Comfort is king: hone in on comfort for the
men's market with four-way stretch knits, and
weather- and crease-proof finishes.
S and r ine Ro se 3. Raid the archives: brands celebrate their
heritage with a workwear look, adding a chore
coat and carpenter jean to their product mix.
#Rawdenim works well and minimal use of water
is also a sustainable option.
4. Rework the classics: focus on familiarity with
perennials such as the trucker. A winterised
update sees sherpa and faux fur used for
panelling.
5. The skinny shift: while there is no escaping the
commercial appeal of the skinny, brands look at
their mix of fits, upping the wider, looser shapes
on show. Follow suit for range building.

Lee Levi's
 Theme 

Conscious Collections

Mavi

N euw Denim

Kat o by H ir o shi Kat o DL1 9 6 1 Pr emium Denim

• #Sustainability leads denim discussions, with many big names simply

highlighting longstanding initiatives and working them deeper into their
seasonal offer
• While water usage is top of the agenda, vertical production, recycled
materials and sourcing are all under the spotlight, with sales collateral
making the end consumer aware of efforts made in these areas
Wr angler Kar d o
 Theme 

Classic Workwear

Kar d o

Gr aph Z er o

Lee Dickies

• With many brands tapping into their heritage, a #workwear theme

emerges for A/W 20/21, with chore coats and wider worker jeans key
items
• #Corduroy, suede and subtle patterned wovens update staple shapes
with a #gentleretro touch. With a neckerchief tied just inside the collar of
a chore coat, Dickies demonstrates a nice merchandising trick to try in-
Fr ame Denim AG store
 Theme

The Comfort
Factor

Mavi

7 Fo r All Mankind Kat o by H ir o shi Kat o

• Comfort has long been a focus for women's jeans. Now brands explore
options for men, as this market increasingly asks more from their denim
• Knitted constructions dominate, with many brands patenting their own,
adding four-way stretch without compromising the authentic denim look.
7 For All Mankind's five-pocket style features a water-repellent, crease-
proof finish that slots into the practical #futurecommuter trend
Kat o by H ir o shi Kat o J Br and
 Key Item 

Winterised Trucker

Levi's Vint age Clo t hing

WeS C

Fr ame Denim Mavi

• The humble trucker is subject to more reworks, as brands exploit the

familiarity of this perennial denim item in new materials
• Shearling and faux fur are popular, extending beyond collars and
linings to create interesting panelled effects
• A performance quality comes through with the use of nylon
Levi's Jack & Jo nes
 Key Item 

Carpenter Jeans

Levi's

BDG Dickies

• Sitting within the season's workwear story, a classic carpenter jean

bulks out the bottomweights category with a wider-fit option. Contrast
pockets, panels and top-stitching draw attention to the practical
detailing synonymous with this style
• Choose signature hammer loops, deep back pockets and side utility
pockets on commercial slim-fit styles for an easier buy-into the trend
Gr aph Z er o WeS C
 Key Item

Boilersuit

Daze Denim S and r ine Ro se

• The boilersuit stands out in Las Vegas, with men's, women's and unisex
options on offer
• Aimed more so at younger markets, the boilersuit has already been
working well at retail, as one of the best performing styles of S/S 19
• Stick with classic indigo washes for familiarity, or opt for cotton twill
styles to tie into an ongoing #utility trend
Lee DL1 9 6 1 Pr emium Denim
 Key Item

Wide-Leg Jeans

DL1 9 6 1 Pr emium Denim Mavi

• While there is ongoing demand for the skinny fit in the US market,
wider fits start to occupy more of the mix
• For both men and women, brands stick to classic indigo wash styles
that sit wide through the leg and the ankle, referencing the #90s
• Focus on younger markets, who have already shown interest in this fit

BDG AG
 Fabric

Corduroy

Lee

Levi's Vint age Clo t hing Levi's

• #Corduroy is trending for both men and women, with all classic denim
items seen reworked in this nostalgic favourite
• Buy into varying wales depending on the item and your customer, with
jumbo wales feeling more contemporary than their finer counterparts
• Accent indigo ranges with earthy hues that link to corduroy's retro
Co mmo n Mar ket
roots Fr ame Denim
 Fabric

Raw Denim

WeS C

Levi's Mad e & Cr af t ed

Kar d o Dickies

• In line with looks at Pitti Uomo, #rawdenim also trends in the US, with

brands favouring this fabric for classic workwear silhouettes such as the
worker jean and chore jacket
• Lending a polished quality to casual denim looks, its raw state means
less water and processing is involved in production, answering consumer
demand for #sustainabledenim
N euw Denim Gr aph Z er o
 Construction

Panels & Piecing

WeS C

Gr aph Z er o BDG

• With Ateliers & Repairs providing the installation for Project's Denim
Room space, panels and piecing is confirmed as one of A/W 20/21's key
trends mainly due to it facilitating the use of waste or old fabric
• Look to items that explore this approach by mixing indigo washes and
introducing contrast pattern panels – a great way to utilise deadstock

Levi's Mad e & Cr af t ed T r end Fo r um

 Colour

Amber

E t ica Denim

Jack & Jo nes DL1 9 6 1 Pr emium Denim

• A colour palette we are tracking on the Fashion Feed, #amber updates

denim separates by lending a retro feel to both classic fits and
contemporary silhouettes
• A great colour to use for more tactile finishes, explore it beyond denim
with #corduroy, brushed surfaces and structured wool items

Levi's Mad e & Cr af t ed Co mmo n Mar ket

 Brand Contacts
7 For All Mankind  Daze Denim   Jack & Jones 
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
7forallmankind.com placeshowroom.com www.jackjones.com

AG Jeans Dickies   J Brand 

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
www.agjeans.com www.dickies.com www.jbrandjeans.com

BDG Urban Outfitters DL1961 Premium Kardo 

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Levi's
www.urbanoutfitters.com dl1961.com www.kardodesign.com

Bowie & Co Etica Denim   Kato by Hiroshi Kato  

[email protected] mmarsh@éticadenim.com [email protected]
www.bowie.co éticadenim.com www.kato-brand.com

Calik Denim Frame Denim  Lee 

[email protected] daniel.bender@frame- [email protected]
www.calikdenim.com denim.com www.lee.com
frame-store.com
Common Market Levi's 
[email protected] Graph Zero [email protected]
www.all-row.com [email protected] Company.com
graphzero.com

Gr aph Z er o
 Brand Contacts
Levi's Made & Crafted WeSC
[email protected] shopwesc.com
levi.com

Wrangler
Levi's Vintage [email protected]
[email protected] www.wrangler.com
levi.com
Zanerobe
Mavi [email protected]
[email protected] zanerobe.com
www.mavi.com

Mod Ref
[email protected]
www.modrefclothing.com

Neuw Denim
[email protected]
neuwdenim.com

Sandrine Rose
[email protected]
www.sandrinerose.com

BDG