Foxhall Blog meets Foxhall Design Team to talk denim

While it’s rare we’re often provided the opportunity to delve into the minds of designers, the Foxhall Design Team provided us 10 minutes of their time to talk about a staple piece of the wardrobe: Foxhall denim jeans. With insights into the development process and fit inspirations, the secrets are revealed below…

FB: Tell us about how you conceptualised the Foxhall denim jeans range:

FDT: We wanted to get an instant classic – a denim jean concentrated on fit and detailing rather than something overworked or engineered in appearance.  This ruled out things like fancy back pocket designs and stitch detailing. We wanted to make sure we had got the basics absolutely right, so that straight away we could confidently sit alongside well established denim brands.

FB: How did you go about making that happen?

FDT: We looked towards the classic jeans that we thought stood out – the well known denim leaders as well as some of the more obscure niche players like Skull, Sugarcane, Roy, Samurai and Iron Heart.  These brands have all been quite deferential to the classic styling of a jean, and we wanted Foxhall jeans to have a strong foundation in denim fundamentals.  

FB: Tell us a bit about the development process.

FDT: We took inspiration from brands with a real heritage in denim – this gave us a good starting point for Rudge – which is our first denim style. We focused a lot on getting the fit right and keeping things classic with trim and finishing.

This thinking also followed our fabric choice – we have a Raw denim which is a Japanese-made selvedge – which many will know is the best denim because the Japanese obsess over manufacturing their jeans fastidiously to classic practices.

We also have a Wash denim that looks like a progression from our Raw.  We’ve not tried to do something too fashion forward with the Wash– rather it’s something one-level down from a raw in terms of appearance.

With our new Distress jean it’s an evolving piece from the Wash – appearing as a continuation that’s started from the Raw level. We’ve not tried to create something that’s too contrived for a distressed jean – it’s designed to have a more relaxed look from having been worn over time rather than heavily worked in a factory.

FB: With only the one jeans shape, how did you choose its fit? 

FDT: We designed Rudge to provide a contemporary look but one that’s also easy to wear across the range of clients that we serve. Which means it’s a fit that a skinny jean wearer will appreciate, but it won’t alienate anyone that isn’t.

FB: And to end on a personal note, which is your favourite version in the line?

FDT: The Raw.  It allows me to embark on a project – it’s letting me wear a jean that I can wear everyday for everything.  I want that jean to become me – any distressing will be personal to me, the colour will fade according to me, I want it to pick up whatever I’m carrying in my pockets – I want to see the transformation of a piece of beautiful raw denim that over time will become my own distressed jeans. The Raw will tell my story and that’s the most rewarding part of owning a good pair of jeans.

Stay tuned for future insights.