Valentino, Ferrari, Alessi, Ferragamo – Italy is synonymous with a culture of design. So much so that Prada, one of the most iconic Italian labels, recently took some flack from the blogs for veering from tradition to manufacture several limited edition handbags in India. For spring, we’re pulling in a bit of that Italian design sensibility with the Almas Hi Rise Zip Skinny in Acid Red. The Almas is a skinny cut denim that shows off the legs down below, but comes together up top in a slightly higher rise, perfectly suited to the modern woman (as Refinery 29 asks, who is still buying low rise denim?). But the most exciting part of this style is the Acid Red wash, featuring a beautiful Italian “crackle coating” treatment, which draws upon the colored denim trend and updates it with a bit of extra texture – just the thing to brighten up your mood once winter’s over. And don’t worry, if red’s not quite your thing, the Almas will also come in a black crackle coating called “Night”, an easy, worn-in blue wash called “Ceremonial”, a grey wash called “Rain”, and a clean white wash called “Snowfall”.

There is big news coming from the HABITUAL brand for the spring season - we’re launching a line of premium men’s denim.

HABITUAL saw a void in the marketplace for a sophisticated, handcrafted men’s jean. The line is all about clean, modern, “city-inspired” looks and Handmade in USA craftsmanship. In the words of Design Director Jennifer Wojinski, “It’s a very tailored and sophisticated look with a European aesthetic. It’s more of a city look than the vintage look a lot of other brands are going for these days.”

Fit and Wash:

We’ve chosen a comfortable, higher rise that sits right at the hips, going against the trend of lower rise denim that has been prevalent the past several years. You’ll be able to find slim straight, straight, skinny, and relaxed boot fits, along with denim trousers and jackets. We are focusing on medium indigo, dark indigo, grey and black washes. You will also see a hand-applied black pigment coating, available on the skinny fit and the jacket, lending a leathery, rock & roll inspired feel. Some designs will have a minimal amount of hand-distressing.

Craftsmanship:

All of the looks will be hand crafted and hand finished in HABITUAL’s Los Angeles Factory with as little machinery as possible. The designs are cut from the best European denim fabrics, and laundering is done by denim artisans. We use fair labor practices at all levels of the production process.

How can you spot HABITUAL Men’s Denim?

We’ve opted away from aggressive embellishments and focused on a few subtle identifiers that will set HABITUAL Men’s apart and signify premium craftsmanship.

For most of the men’s line, you will find our signature Glory pocket in the front, on the coin pocket, along with a white contrast stitching that stretches up to the waistband. We are featuring both button and zipper flies, all with custom hardware and rivets. In back, you’ll see a leather patch stamped with the HABITUAL logo and tucked neatly underneath the top seam of the pocket, along with a white bartack on the back center belt loop. Inside, an artist-designed pocket lining features a skull, a crying eye, and an architectural arch along with a variety of text elements. Reinforced seams feature a black binding with the word “Believe” subtly visible.

The Fine Print:

The line will be available at retail in January 2012 at specialty department and specialty stores, retailing from $175 to $195 for basic washes, $225 for looks with hand distressing, and up to $325 for premium selvage. The denim jackets will retail at $275, except for one with calf leather sleeves, which will run $575.

Buyers and editors can get a true first look at the line at ENK, in Las Vegas, August 22-24th. You Can Find HABITUAL at booth number 11015. To make an appointment, please contact Christina Zamarripa at christina.zamarripa@pmkbnc.com.

The Royal couple is arriving shortly in LA, and we are really curious to see what they’ll wear. When she’s not in McQueen or Temperley, Kate Middleton - now Princess Catherine - does occasionally wear denim with a simple top or blazer. But Prince William in jeans is a much rarer sight; when not wearing a full suit, he will usually opt for khakis. We know they have a black tie event in Hollywood tomorrow night, but that still leaves plenty of time for them to sport a casual look in the city so well known for its denim culture. We think the Queen would approve!

Memorial Day is coming up next weekend and the weather continues to get warmer – that means it’s time to bring out the whites!  White denim doesn’t seem to hit every single summer, but thanks to a strong runway and a difficult winter, people are ready to wear white to celebrate 2011’s warmest months.

How to wear it:

Perhaps the most basic way to wear white denim is… with more white! You can stay cool and look cool by pairing white denim with a clean white shirt - just make sure to break it up with a tonal textured belt. Mixing white with off-white is another flattering combination for many people, such as this white pant and cream sweater look from Isabel Marant’s Spring 2011 collection. If you are going to wear color, commit to it and choose a simple shape in a bold color like orange, which is proving to be one of the must have hues for summer. Of course you can never go wrong pairing white with black; try a patterned knit tank that borrows some of the white from the pants and eases the contrast of the two pieces. Finally, while we adore the ankle strap kitten heels Marant showed on the spring runway, a simple platform sandal in a neutral color will work with nearly any white denim look.

Runway Look: Isabel Marant Spring Summer 2011 Ready to Wear
Tops: (Left to Right) James Perse Roll Sleeve Shirt, Jil Sander cashmere and silk blend sweater, Missoni Moss crochet-knit tank.
Belt: TopShop white textured snake effect skinny leather belt
Jeans: (L to R) HABITUAL Aaron rolled skinny in White out, HABITUAL Geena bootcut in White out, available at Nordstrom and Zappos.com.
Shoes: Cacherel high platform

Only someone like Amanda Seyfried could make packing up the trunk look so stylish! She paired the Alice Mid-Skinny with a short jacket and black combat boots for a casual but collected off-the-set look.

Amanda appeared recently on the Late Show with David Letterman to promote her new film Red Riding Hood, a modernized version of the classic fairy tale, directed by Catherine Hardwicke. The film opens next Friday, March 11th.

Thanks to DenimBlog for first spotting this one.