Loren Cronk and Daniel Donahue believe the time is right for Lips Jeans.
The Brooklyn pair launched Lips last fall with a design aesthetic focused solely on Seventies styles. Of course, this meant high-waisted looks would be a key feature of most of the label’s offerings, which Cronk acknowledged presented early challenges.
“Even a year ago, it was a little harder to sell high-waisted jeans,” said Cronk, who has worked in the apparel industry for 15 years for brands such as Levi Strauss and Ralph Lauren. “We feel girls really look good in high-waisted, even more than they themselves think. It’s a nice shape, but it’s kind of scary for some women to make that transition because low-waisted is so popular.”
Cronk, however, said he had seen interest in high-waisted styles increase dramatically even in the last month. “It seems to be getting all sorts of press these days,” he said.
Cronk and Donahue met six years ago when they had neighboring booths at a Las Vegas trade show. Cronk launched his own streetwear brand 15 years ago and grew up as an avid skateboarder, which influenced his interest in Seventies style.
“I’ve always been into vintage and I’ve always been into the Seventies,” Cronk said.
Donahue, a graphic artist, shared Cronk’s passion for seeking inspiration from the past. After working on several smaller projects together, they decided the time was right to launch Lips.
Manufacturing is done in Los Angeles using a mix of Italian and Japanese denim. However, Cronk recently began using some Turkish denim. The line’s current styles are updates of Seventies cuts. Cronk described the Jodelle, a medium-rise, skinny-leg style, as “our safest jean.” The other four styles in the line are high-waisted and include the Francoise, a five-pocket jean available in a flair and straight leg; the Colette, a flat-front style; the Zoe, a skinny-leg style, and the Adela, which features a double-zip front with a slightly flared leg.
Washes are kept to a minimum to achieve a natural look.
“I don’t do any hand-sanding, grinding or fake vintage looks,” Cronk said. “I want these to wash down naturally; I think that’s key.”
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Lips is available in 30 stores and retails for between $149 and $200.