Every day, it seems, there's another new premium jeans line on the market. The latest on our radar is called Aristocrat. The line, launched last spring, is the brainchild of Bob Bak, a fabric specialist who spent over a decade working on denim washes and prototypes for Chanel, Roberto Cavalli and Diesel. I recently spoke with Bak, who explained how his jeans are cut with unusual attention to how they fit in the front (so they stay flat). He also explained how his denim is "green." (He mentioned something about how he uses specially processed water, avoids resin enzymes and uses polymers to free the enzymes—at least I think that's what he said).
He's created 25 or so styles, which are sold at Barneys New York, Ron Herman and Nordstrom (among others). The names of the styles are supposed to be vaguely aristocratic, so one is called Antoinette, another is called Windsor, and one of them is called, yes, Tinsley. "I don't know her personally," Bak said, "but we did send her a pair."
Of course, this made me wonder what Tinsley herself had to say about them, and whether was flattered, amused, or calling her attorneys. So I emailed her.
Evidently, she never received the jeans, or the news that she had inspired a pair in the first place. She wrote this to me: "I think it is so sweet that he named a pair after me, and of course I am very flattered. I had no idea about this. I would love to try them!! Please tell him thank you so much!! I think it is very cute of him!!" Evidently, they're sending another pair her way.
Photo by Steve Eichner
