CITYist

If there is any article of clothing that is quintessentially American, it’s a pair of blue jeans. Diana Vreeland said they were “the most beautiful thing since the gondola.” Yves St. Laurent declared, “I wish I had invented blue jeans: the most spectacular, the most practical, the most relaxed and nonchalant.” And we can envision them on every American from Marilyn Monroe to Bob Dylan to Barack Obama. So, if you’re working with denim, how do you bring something new to such a classic yet everyday item?

The designer Michelle Siwy accomplishes this feat by blending tradition with sleek, modern style. One of her inspired nods to vintage are the tags made of feedbag cloth, which was used to make clothing during the depression era. Michelle explains, “When I first started the line I wanted a unique labeling system that reflected American culture. I’ve always been attracted to feedbags because they’re so unique and vibrant and colorful, although you might not know that from the black and white photos of the period. These labels were created at the turn of the century and through the depression to hold chicken food. They were often recycled into garments, quilts and curtains.”

Siwy denim has used the same labeling system since its inception five years ago, and it is a hallmark. But eventually, the company is going to have to transition away from these vintage tags, given that only a limited number were produced and price is already on the rise. You may want to grab a pair of Siwy jeans today — the ones made with feedbag tags are destined to become collector items.

But don’t think the appeal of Siwy denim is solely rooted in the past. Michelle has brought today’s sense of East Coast chic to the traditionally Los Angeles denim-dominated market. Her styling always aims for the most figure-flattering fit possible. Michelle feels that the brand is all about embracing feminine curves – a welcome relief for anyone experienced with jeans that flatter only a few body types. Michelle notes that the first rule of picking a good pair of jeans is to “make sure they make your butt look great.” The quilted pockets and carefully placed seams on Siwy denim are guaranteed to do just that.

Celebrities are taking note. Siwy jeans have been seen on fashion trendsetters from Sienna Miller to Selma Blair. Michelle was incredibly excited to see her designs on Kate Moss’s willowy frame, saying, “I know she’s very picky about her denim choices, and she really shows people how to wear it in a luxurious but accessible way. It makes people look at denim completely differently, not just as their old weekend jeans.”

Of course, there have been challenges in achieving today’s success. It hasn’t always been easy. Since starting the brand in 2005, Michelle has overcome a series of hurdles. Her line was reaching its peak just at the height of the recession, but Michelle says that economic challenge ultimately proved helpful. “We were able to hang in because we had a very unique product. The jeans aren’t something you can pick up at Topshop; they were different enough that it made spending money worth it. We picked up customers because we offered something truly different,” she explains.

Another challenge was keeping up with all the orders. At the beginning of her career, Siwy notes that she had to cancel certain orders because she simply wasn’t prepared. She remembers, “I jumped into the business really naively, which I think for me was a good thing, because if I’d known the amount of work and organization that goes into this I might have been scared off.”

Finding a great business partner whose passion for the product rivaled Siwy’s own proved invaluable. Michelle notes that at the beginning of her line she thought that she could do it alone, but today, she’s realized the necessity of accepting help from others. She advises new designers to find great people to work with and also recommends, “You have to have good time management; just make sure you get everything to the sales reps on time! If you don’t, there are a hundred other designers eager to take your place. Do that, and you’re golden.”

And now Michelle’s all-American success has gone global. Siwy denim can be found in stores from Switzerland to Australia to Taiwan. Which leaves us to question what’s next for the young designer. Michelle remarks, “We’re expanding into T-shirts, and eventually we’d like to have other categories and grow into a lifestyle brand. Baby steps, though. Speaking of which, we just added a babies and maternity line. It’s not based on anything personal, I’m not pregnant, we just had a demand for it. There must be a baby boom!”

We think that Siwy’s passion for her product, as well as the unique touches she infuses in every pair of Siwy denim, means that her jeans are destined to be the kind of classic Americana that we talk about — and wear — for years to come. Just look for the feedbag tag.