How to keep a denim brand feeling fresh? For Simon Miller designers Jake Sargent and Daniel Corrigan, it all comes down to the process. Like traditional Japanese boro garments, it s not just about the textile itself, but the textile transformed. Boro pieces are patched and mended till they ve become testimonies to the life of the wearer; what Simon Miller clothes may lack in actual life experience, Sargent and Corrigan nod to through the use of novel treatments.
Among Spring s expanded ready-to-wear lineup: buttery tin cloth, pigment-painted cotton, and resin-coated linen—all textural delights in rich earth tones. Outerwear was a clear focus, and the pair whipped up bombers, anoraks, and robe coats.
However central a Japanese influence is to Sargent and Corrigan s sensibilities, the designers never seem to be weighed down by telegraphing that idea. Here it came to life in subtle ways, like kimono-style jackets or washi-paper knit separates, cool and dry to the touch. Subtle but central; they flexed SM s denim DNA with their new Made in Japan capsule collection. The resulting hand-customized styles are pricey but impeccably fabricated and, yes, fresh enough to please even the most world-weary jeans fans.
