Look at that

DROP-CROTCH DROPPED TO THE FLOOR - JAMES BERGWIJN

We enter Denim City and are greeted by a fluffy dog and a lot of young people working on denim jeans. There are sounds produced by big heavy machinery. We see James working on a grey wool scarf with bits of colored fur attached. James stops what he’s working on and proceeds to make some coffee, directing us to a mezzanine above the working station.

Interviewer- How long have you been working at Denim City?

JB- About 5 years

Int- How did you end up here?

JB- My friend was doing an internship here and we were working together on a project called “Bootcut Boys”, making 20-ounce jeans. We made a collection and then stopped because it got too serious.

Int- What do you mean by too serious?

JB- We were just making it for fun and after the second drop everything got sold out in half an hour, so we had to make 10 jeans and 10 jackets, and we were just like fuck… we finished it in two months though. The pants from the first drop were 250€ and in the second drop, the suit was 520€.

Int- So… people are willing to pay a lot for this denim.

JB- Yeah, it was also before the pandemic, so people were still really buying.

Int- When those pants sold out, did social media play a part in it? Did you advertise it that way?

JB- For sure. We posted everything but at the time we only had 300 followers on that account. It was more from people reposting, that led to random people following us, and eventually before we stopped, we had around 700 followers.

Int- It’s funny to see that if you have 700 loyal followers, that’s really 700 people who are interested in possibly making a purchase. Nowadays, it’s easy to feel like 700 people on Instagram is nothing.

JB- Yeah, I mean we had 700 followers and it was too much, we needed to focus on our own stuff.

Int- Before these drop crotch pants you will release soon, what were you making?

JB- I was just creating random things for myself. I feel like in school I didn’t learn anything, besides the basics you know? Like how to make a T-shirt, simple pants, etc.

Int- When did you decide that these pants (the drop crotch) were actually a good thing to sell and not just for yourself anymore?

JB- I mean the first drop crotch pants I made was two years ago and I was just posting them and hearing that people were interested. The first time I went to Canada, I brought some of the drop crotch joggers with me and I already had 30 people over there that wanted to buy it. Also, this guy from New York w works with archival wanted to make a pop-up with the pieces. So, I just thought okay I might be onto something.

*We proceed to look at the first denim drop crotch pants James made*

Int- Why drop crotch?

JB- I was always fascinated by Yohji’s work, those were the first drop-crotch pants I saw. I just thought they were tight. So, I wanted to make something for myself and take it even lower.

Int- Do you think the silhouette itself is sexy?

JB- Yeah for sure I think it’s cool and sexy. Although it covers a lot, there is still a silhouette.

Int- Totally, I think the non-callant element is what makes it sexy. This sensual “I don’t care but I do”. And are you the first model of your designs?

JB- Yes of course, if I don’t wear the clothing myself, I don’t see the point in bringing it out or selling it. I always represent the clothes in one way or the other.

Int- You mentioned Yohji, is there other inspiration?

JB- Yes so many, I don’t watch the new stuff so much anymore though, I don’t find it so interesting. Usually, I go to Tumbler or YouTube to find shows from the 90s. I also have a lot of archive fashion books in my collection.

Int- How do you feel about the current fashion scene in Amsterdam and Europe?

JB- Amsterdam is cool, I’m not so tapped with the designers, but the people I follow and know, are doing something new. This girl for example that made the t-shirt with “Bimbo” on it, she’s making a lot of cunty shit, she’s cool. Also, my friend Revan Diktas with the big puffer jackets. He quit now though, he’s studying neuroscience, building rockets, and shit. I think some parts of the scene are cool but of course not everything. Maybe I’m just too judgy…

Int- I think it’s good to be judgy. Is there a city that Amsterdam should learn from?

JB- Rotterdam for sure. People are working together there. Here there’s a lot of competition, trying to get somewhere on your own. I like how people connect over there, not just in fashion but in music.

Int- Can you say something about your music?

JB- I make funky, sexy music, I talk about girls and partying... It started as a hobby and then made some connections, but fashion is always number one.

Int- And does one outlet flow into the other?

JB- Usually I can’t focus on both so I separate them unless I’m just hanging around with Mystic and making a random song, then it’s fine.

Int- Do you think Amsterdam is getting less sexy?

JB- I mean, it’s sexy for sure. I think people still need to find their direction, most of the time it just looks very homogeneous.

Int- The other day we were saying that the music scene used to be really sexy because it was filled with rockstars, now the rockstars of our time are trapsters. The pure sex element is a bit lost in trap, there is a certain visual appeal that disappears.

JB- It’s still appealing to some people. There are still sexy people making music, although it’s not like it used to be. Now its drillers in Under Armour. It’s still hard. I wear my Under Armour sometimes and I feel sexy.

Int- What does your process consist of?

JB- Usually an image pops into my head and I immediately get a sketch down. I don’t know how, but I always find a way to make it. There is always space for change and spontaneity. In the process of sewing, I always end up adding stuff. The first time I made a bomber jacket I didn’t know how to do the lining or anything, but I just figured it out and it ended up working.

Int- Regarding this image popping into your head, do you think If you don’t make it right away you will lose it?

JB- Yeah sometimes I lose it or I lose myself and then I go crazy. But if I make a sketch it’s registered. If I don’t it’ll probably come back differently.