Army surplus: Jeans made in military operation

The colour and texture of the denim, sourced from a Japanese denim mill, was matched with a personal collection of vintage tarpaulins, bags and uniforms belonging to the manager of the mill. The line is a limited-edition series of 24 pairs of jeans.

‘It is not about re-inventing the wheel, it’s about finding ways to complement what is already in existence,’ says Tenue de Nîmes co-owner Menno van Meurs. ‘We try to be respectful of the original vision of how jeans should be, but adapt it to a 21st-century client.’

This collaboration tactfully builds on a classic design, and the re-appropriation of military fabrics creates a narrative for the collection. For more about how designers are finding inspiration in the past, read our Revivalism macro trend.