DENIMandPATCHES

The collection is called Future Memory.

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Chris Leba’s R13 Pre-Fall 2026 collection is about grunge heritage reinterpreted with “pajama tailoring” ease.

This collection keeps R13’s downtown New York edge but softens the aesthetic with comfort-driven silhouettes and a tailored feel, creating a hybrid of grunge and refined ease rather than pure streetwear distortion.

A good example are sweatpants created with denim style tailoring.

Overall, R13’s signature denim DNA still appears. Think lived-in layers, relaxed fits, and stacked hems that echo downtown style. But without being headless or loud. It’s woven into outfits with texture and attitude, worn with heavier boots, flannels, and tailored tops.

And, as in most Leba’s collections, leopard print is also very present in his Pre-Fall 2026.

Denim here acts less like a statement piece and more like a textural anchor in the collection’s overall feel.

You can shop for R13 on their website, at Nordstrom, and at Shopbop.

The post R13 – Pre-Fall 2026 Lookbook first appeared on Denimology.

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This spring, the brand captures the spirit of the West through sun bleached fabrics and washed denim.

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The gallery includes pieces owned by Japanese collector Ric Kanamaru.

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In This Issue: SOSO at Cultizm, Bluezone SS27, Train Dreams, and Sweaters

The past few weeks have moved quickly here at DH HQ, which makes this a slightly unusual moment to slow things down. But that’s exactly what I’m about to do—clear the schedule for one of the highlights of the year, the annual family ski holiday.

After some good years in Norway, where the kids got comfortable on skis, we’re heading back to Italy. Back to the Dolomites, where I learned to ski myself, and to a place that still feels like familiar ground.

Because I check out and hit the road with the car fully loaded, here’s a recap of what’s new and worth flagging right now.

SOSOBROTHERS Enters Retail with Cultizm

For the first time since launching in 2010, heavyweight Swedish denim label SOSOBROTHERS is being stocked by a retailer. Cultizm becomes the brand’s first wholesale partner worldwide, marking a clear shift from its long-standing direct-to-consumer model.

Until now, the brand has built its reputation through custom orders and a tightly knit community of wearers, centred on some of the most uncompromising denim on the market.

Moving into retail changes both access and scale—and makes it easier for people to experience the work without going the custom route.

Cultizm’s initial selection leans fully into the heavy end of the spectrum, led by the 33 oz. selvedge used for the “Breaker of Legs” jeans and the “Breaker of Arms” jacket.

Woven from long-staple Australian cotton on vintage shuttle looms, it’s rigid, slubby, and deliberately unforgiving. The line-up also includes the 20 oz. Ghost Selvedge, a slightly more wearable heavyweight option that still rewards long-term wear.

For a brand that has always done things its own way, this move into retail is a notable change—and one worth paying attention to.

What Wouter Saw at Bluezone SS27

Bluezone has wrapped its Spring/Summer 2027 edition in Munich, once again running alongside Munich Fabric Start and giving a useful snapshot of where denim sourcing and development is heading.

This season’s recap comes with the help of Wouter Munnichs of Long John, who reports on a show that continues to evolve rather than reinvent itself—steady footfall, cautious but engaged exhibitors, and a clear sense that brands are still navigating a market shaped as much by restraint as by ambition. Sustainability, circularity, and material innovation remain central, but with a noticeably more pragmatic tone than in previous years.

If you’re interested in how mills and manufacturers are positioning themselves right now—and what that says about the near future of denim—the full Bluezone SS27 recap is worth your time.

The Story Behind the Costumes of Train Dreams

Few recent films have captured the texture and reality of early-20th-century workwear as convincingly as Train Dreams. Adapted from Denis Johnson’s novella and led by a quietly powerful performance from Joel Edgerton, the film lives and breathes through its details—faded denim, worn boots, work jackets, clothes that look like they’ve been lived in for decades.

In an interview we published this week, Bryan speaks with the film’s costume designer, Malgosia Turzanska, about the research, sourcing, and ageing techniques behind the wardrobe. From collaborating with White’s Boots to studying archival photographs of loggers and railroad workers, she walks through how the costumes were built, broken in, and used to show the passage of time on screen.

If you care about heritage workwear, material honesty, and how clothing can quietly carry a story, this conversation is well worth reading.

Fisherman’s Sweaters Guide, Revisited

Bryan’s gone back into our fisherman’s sweater guide and given it a proper update. Originally published in early 2023, it’s been refreshed with current availability, a few adjustments, and the same deep dive into why these sweaters have lasted as long as they have.

If you’ve used the guide before, it’s worth another look. And if heavy knitwear is still doing real work in your rotation, this remains one of the most useful overviews we’ve put together.

The post You Probably Didn’t Expect This Heavyweight Brand in Stores appeared first on Denimhunters.

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As we have already stated in our feature about the Nili Lotan Spring 2026 collection, this year we are all about denim shirts.

And it’s not only Lotan, but many other brands as well, which we will be featuring here in our lookbook post, so stay tuned.

We have worn our denim shirts since forever, agreed. Without too much thinking we just added the shirt as a basic, or layered it over a tee or tank top. And now we are going to have to pay more “special” attention – let’s start playing with the many possibilities of a – not so simple anymore – denim shirt!

To state it loud and clear, yes, this year denim shirts are having a real moment. But they’re not the basic Western snap you’re thinking of. The vibe is refined utility with fashion-forward proportions, and they’re being worn year-round, layered or solo.

Overall, in 2026, denim shirts are more a fashion tool than just heritage cosplay. Also worth pointing out is that they are less cowboy but rather more button-down style. Denim shirts are basically genderless, depending on what kind of fit you prefer. If you love over-sized, then definitely go for a unisex or men’s style.

Below you can find our six favorite denim shirts available to shop for right now.

LOIS Jeans Rhiestone Embellished Denim Shirt ($239) – The studs definitely make a difference

DIESEL d-simply-s15 Denim Shirt ($395) – Welcome back grey denim!

Veronica Beard Gabby Denim Button-Down Shirt ($82) – If you like fitted and cute with the added tie

GANNI Logo Embellished Denim Shirt ($418) – We like layering this shirt over long sleeved tops

Free People Bailey Ruffeled Denim Shirt ($102.40) – Speaking to our feminine side

ACNE STUDIOS Paint-Splattered Distressed Denim Shirt ($730) – If you are looking for distressed and oversized

The post Wardrobe Staple 2026 – The Denim Shirt first appeared on Denimology.

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This article is sponsored by Bluezone, the trade show for denim by Munich Fabric Start. Register to visit here!

Wouter Munnichs Reports from Bluezone: What the Mood, the Move, and the Makers Revealed

Trade shows have always played an essential role in the clothing industry—bringing people together, connecting makers with buyers, giving brands and makers a platform and voice. But the relevance and role of trade shows have been questioned for years now; I’ve seen that shift unfold ever since I first started going back in the late 2000s.

This year marks a decade since I first visited Bluezone in Munich. I haven’t made it to every edition since, but I’ve seen the show evolve—especially over the past year, as it’s become fully integrated into Munich Fabric Start.

For the recent SS27 edition in January, I wasn’t able to visit myself—because I was busy showing my own brand at its first-ever trade show in Copenhagen. So I called in a favour; my longtime friend and fellow denim blogger, Wouter Munnichs from Long John, kindly acted as my eyes and ears on the ground in Munich. 

What follows is a recap drawn from Wouter’s impressions of the show.

What the Mood on the Floor Revealed

According to Wouter, the vibe in Hall 2 was great. The integration with the broader MFS show continues to pay off—visitors didn’t just stay in their usual lanes. They flowed between halls, including Bluezone, and that gave denim exhibitors more chances to engage. 

Traffic was consistent. And importantly, it seems the right kind of visitors found their way to the denim hall. Exhibitors were doing actual business. That doesn’t happen by accident. 

As Wouter points out, many likely pre-scheduled meetings and personally invited key clients. But the layout helped too. There was plenty of organic foot traffic from visitors who wouldn’t normally be deep in the denim hall. And that’s one of the major benefits of being fully integrated into the larger show: Bluezone is no longer a destination—it’s part of the route.

The new placement of the Trend Zone, now relocated to the foyer, seems to have been another smart move. Wouter tells me it caught attention immediately, with lots of visitors stopping to take photos. It’s clear that positioning innovation up front helps communicate that Bluezone isn’t just about jeans and mills, it’s about what comes next.

What Exhibitors Were Showing (and Saying)

No surprise here: sustainability was everywhere. But not just in the usual sense. 

What stood out to Wouter were the technical improvements—specifically in printing—and how they’re finally starting to look retail-ready. The conversation around recyclability is also maturing. More mills are offering rigid, stretch-free fabrics that align with both the shift to looser fits and circular design logic.

The pleasure theme isn’t something people were openly talking about on the floor—but Wouter too saw it as doing exactly what a campaign should: stopping people in their tracks and adding a sense of boldness and freshness to the show’s identity.

On the sourcing side, most exhibitors seemed satisfied. The right buyers came, and many seemed eager to engage. Wouter described a mix of small and large brands visiting booths—and importantly, they weren’t just kicking tires. 

The feedback he heard suggested that Bluezone continues to attract the kind of audience that wants to touch, feel, and understand the fabrics. That’s still a crucial step in the decision-making process, even in a post-Zoom world.

What’s Changing (and What Comes Next)

There was some quiet optimism about the calendar shift. Starting next season, the summer edition of Bluezone will move up a few weeks to mid-July. That’s a bold move—and a risky one for anyone with kids on school holiday. But many exhibitors apparently see it as positive. The hope is that it’ll give them more time to respond to what they see and hear before locking in collection development.

It’s not yet clear how this new slot will affect attendance. But if the last two shows have proven anything, it’s that Bluezone knows how to evolve. The full integration into MFS, the repositioning of the trend content, and the continued strength of the exhibitor list are all signs of a show that’s adapting to the needs of the moment.

Whether or not that will be enough to pull more visitors in July remains to be seen. But if the strategy is to position Bluezone as a serious, future-focused denim hub—and not just a place to shake hands with your existing customers—then it’s headed in the right direction.

Looking Ahead to the Next Edition in July

With two integrated editions under its belt, Bluezone has settled into its new home. The next show is scheduled for July 14–16. It’s a shift that makes sense for production cycles, but it does clash a bit with summer holidays in Northern Europe.

That said, if the show keeps delivering the right mix of inspiration, connection, and commercial relevance, people will make it work. I certainly intend to, because whether you’re showing or sourcing, Bluezone is becoming harder to skip.

The post Show Recap: Pleasure in Progress at Bluezone SS27 appeared first on Denimhunters.

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