What’s It All About for the Rag & Bone Designers?

Marcus Wainwright and David Neville can talk denim for days. For starters, they’re jean junkies who are rarely seen without a pair on, usually of their own making. And, since launching Rag & Bone in 2002, they’ve made denim one of the cornerstones of their business.

Favorite pair of jeans you ever owned? Wainwright: My first pair of Rag blade jeans, which I wore every day for nine months straight. Neville: I wear a lot of gray and black, so I really like the iron wash in a fit. They are so comfortable and work with pretty much everything.

What’s a wash or cut of jean that you’re excited about right now? Wainwright: Our classic mum jean in mum wash or our equestrian jean, which revolutionizes jean fit. Neville: In men’s, the fit 2 in distressed wash – it’s going to get better with age. With women’s, we have amazing tech fabrication including the Houston bell which flares from the knee and gives an amazing silhouette.

What do you try to accomplish with every season/collection? Wainwright: Perfection, which is basically impossible but fun to aim for. Neville: In terms of denim, to create jeans our clients want to wear forever!

Why did you choose to design on denim? Wainwright: The first thing I made for myself was a jean because that’s what I wanted to wear.

Tell us one trick of the trade: Neville: It boils down to the comfort of the fabric, the fit and don’t underestimate the positioning of the pockets.

Denim style that you wish you could bring back from the grave: Wainwright: Acid wash.

Is there a city that inspires you? Neville: It’s always cool to see how the people in our office style their denim. Same applies to cities to New York, London and Tokyo.

Favorite denim icon: Wainwright: Jerry Seinfeld, obviously. Neville: So many – from Steve McQueen in The Great Escape to Jean Seberg.