Denim of the game

Who isn’t tired of the old t-shirt and jeans get-up? Go to any mall and you’ll see different versions of that look everywhere. When it comes to fashion, most people play it safe and stick to the basics. Girls have tops with minimal design and use the same old accessories practically all the time. Guys wear plain shirts and barely accessorize at all. Both sexes don’t even think before pulling on their favorite pair of jeans—oh, you know, the one that looks like every other pair of jeans you see.

It’s about time that someone showed us that fashion isn’t just about clothes. Fashion is about attitude, being a cut above the rest without even trying too hard, looking absolutely hot by being totally cool. I saw all this during the Philippine Fashion Week, when Lee Denim USA revealed their Summer 2002 Collection that had audiences at the Glorietta 4 Activity Center in awe. The clothes, which had the themes Scandal, Old Movies, Road Trip, Denim Queen and Vertical Limit, were definitely a welcome change from all the regular pieces of clothing we usually see. Forget plain shirts and jeans! You want straight-up street fashion? Lee has the clothes that show fearless attitude. If Grease were set in summer 2002, then the T-Birds and Pink Ladies would be wearing these clothes.

The fashion show was exhilarating. The set, which was a mix of laser lights and projected images, was simply amazing. Greyhoundz was there, rocking it out as the clothes were modeled on the runway. Their hard core rock music added to the we’re-bad-but-hey-we-look-good atmosphere. It was also really cool to see how the models looked. They had great make-up, and their hair was styled differently than usual. Some of the girls had lots of little braids and some had unbraided hair. Guys had really hip hair that didn’t only use a little bit of gel, but imagination and attitude, too.

Even with all of this, the clothes were the ones that made the loudest statement. It was a welcome change from all the plain t-shirts and jeans we see everyday. Daring yet stylish, all of the clothes had a fresh twist that made everyone rethink their wardrobes. The tops—belly bearing and asymmetrical for the girls and fitted for the guys—were splashed with vivid colors and funky designs, from drawings to stripes to phrases. Each piece had different images and patterns that showed the personality of the different themes of the collection. And they’re definitely not the cute patterns. Try provocative and in your face.

The fashion doesn’t stop there, of course. Lee also has a really cool collection of mini skirts and jackets. I loved their accessories, too! There were interesting hats and chunky necklaces. Their woven and studded belts that would make any pair of pants look fashionable (the bigger the better).

What really set Lee apart from all the others were their jeans. I hardly saw a pair of jeans that was just plain. There were bleached and acid washed jeans, tinted jeans, jeans with lace, striped jeans, worn-out jeans, torn jeans, streaked jeans, detailed jeans and more. My head got dizzy from seeing all the fashionable jeans on the models walking on the runway. I think the fashion world should take a hint from Lee and start toying with pants more. Everyone wears pants, but if everyone wears the same jeans, where would the spirit of fashion go? Fashion should push us to try new looks and new things, not just sticking to basics.

All in all, the fashion show was a fusion of great sounds, clothes and attitude. It was a collection of clothes that everyone didn’t know they were waiting for. As I said, it’s about time that someone showed us that attitude counts in fashion. Well, Lee showed us just that—and threw in really cool accessories on the side.