Tears of Bleu: A Lifestyle Brand
British designer Caius Olowu wants to reinvent the way consumers relate to denim by offering a refined approach to design, tailored details and a range of novel finishes.
After a stint with True Religion, Olowu launched premium denim and lifestyle brand 020608 Tears of Bleu.
Officially launched at MAGIC in Las Vegas last February, the Los Angeles–based line is named after Olowu’s daughter (her name means “blue tears” in Japanese) and pays homage to her birthday—Feb. 6, 2008. The expansive collection is created for men, women and kids, showcasing a full range of denim styles—from skinny, straight and fashion flare with a range of finishes from the “acid snow wash” to the “venus wash rinse.”
With a degree in tailoring from the London College of Fashion, Olowu employs classic British tailoring skills and craftsmanship in the collection. Details include “fully bound inside seams, classic tailored dust patches ... [and] tailored pin-stitched back seams,” he said.
Olowu also studied civil engineering and architecture—learning that incorporating clean, constructed lines improves the fit of denim. “I want to produce fundamental clothing with a splash of color to contrast the elements of function,” Olowu said.
“There is about a 2 percent stretch in the women’s denim with a generally standard rise (no low rise). This is key to create a comfortable fit. There is only one women’s premium style, which comes in a low rise and incorporates tailored piped inseams, workwear inserts and a cross-stitch tear drop on the back pocket,” he added. For the men’s slim skinny style, Olowu originated a fit that is loose around the thigh and progressively slims into a skinny so men can move around with ease but still look stylish.
According to Olowu, buyers have responded well to 020608 Tears of Bleu because of its exclusive denim-wash process. The collection is made from Japanese- and U.S.-developed denim and is being manufactured in Okayama, Japan, as well as in California. But the arduous finishing process takes place in Olowu’s shared factory in Los Angeles, where he instructs the finisher on each look. No two washes are 100 percent alike, according to the designer. Each wash is hand finished and goes through a five- to 10-hour finishing process. Olowu likes to rework each piece into a distinct, artisan style by finishing with wash dying, sand blasting, chemical spray and additional special effects.
“Every season we introduce one style, and it pushes the brand forward. It really shows where the designer is going,” Olowu said. For Spring 2012, the new styles include a lightweight twill, which comes in an array of colorways. The collection also includes women’s denim miniskirts and shorts, kids’ tees, and shoes. Eventually, Olowu plans to grow into a full-range apparel company.
For now, the brand’s target market is boutiques. 020608 Tears of Bleu is in about 100 retail stores globally, including Bleu in Los Angeles and Royal Flesh in Japan.
The core basics are wholesale priced at $72, and premium styles begin at $130.
For more information, visit www.020608tearsofbleu.com or email Secret Service Showroom at info@secretserviceshowroom.com.—Sarah Wolfson
