Why is it that no matter how many jeans a woman buys in her lifetime, nothing fits as beautifully as the pair she once stole from her big brother or boyfriend? Jordan Nodarse gets it, ladies. And his brand, Boyish, launched last year, is a testament to just how much he understands. "The whole essence of Boyish is built off the concept that women wear men's jeans; he says from his sunny Los Angeles home base. "They buy these vintage Wrangler, Levis and Lee jeans. The aesthetic is boyish, but sexy. While we have added stretch fabrics to our repertoire, most of our styles are made with rigid fabrics, an ode to these traditional menswear jean brands."
It's not just the bestselling Billy or Tommy styles from the Boyish core collection or the now famous Honey Pot Corey skirt or Toby Pants and Harvey jacket sets which are available throughout the US, Europe, Asia and Australia for prices that don't go above $200 retail. Nodarse hasn't created just another pretty brand. Boyish stands on its principles as a leader in sustainable denim, teaching us a few lessons along the way. "The fashion industry has become one of the largest polluting industries in the world, with jean production at the forefront of this phenomena," Nodarse says, knowing as much about this area of denim as he does about its style. "A standard jean can use up to 1,800 gallons (almost 7,000 Iiters) of water to make just one pair. 60% of that water consumption is needed for the fiber, fabric production, and 30% is used to launder the denim to look worn, with the remaining 10% being the trims. With these statistics, it's important for the denim industry to really take a long, hard look at what is happening and figure out ways to solve this."
Working hard to create a sustainable and ethical supply chain, Nodarse's commitment to giving back to the planet comes from a noteworthy industry history that has brought him ever closer to what he calls his "core design missio". From Lovers + Friends to creating the GRLFRND line for Revolve to serving as the denim and special projects director at Revolve, "I spent a lot of time working hands on in the factories, so I found myself learning more and more about how jeans were made and the different chemicals it takes to make them, how much water it takes to make them", he says. "It never seemed right to have so many different resources to make jeans, which is how the concept of Boyish was truly born."
There's something special about getting the perfect fit along with a bit of an education while helping to create a movement. Nodarse's beliefs are contagious."We are just one brand, he says, "but if we can inspire others to value these same core principles, we can all come together to prevent a lot of future damage from being done to our planet."
Please note: This story is also published in our current magazine #290, 'The Best of Denim' issue.
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