NEW YORK — Rubin Chapelle’s new premium denim line, 192 Doves, took almost three years to come to fruition.
“About two-and-a-half years ago, we had a presentation of evening tops with just jeans,” said Sonja Rubin, who founded the company with fellow designer Kip Chapelle in 1997. It was the designers’ first effort, a limited denim collection. “That gave us the idea. We just felt that was really the demand of the market.”
The noise from that demand continued to grow, as customers heading to Rubin Chapelle’s Meatpacking District boutique, which opened in 2002, frequently asked when a full denim collection would be available.
“It was a natural and organic transition for us,” said Rubin. “It took us a while, but now they are here.”
The designers spent the years following that 2003 presentation immersing themselves in the sector, researching the kinds of denim that would suit their needs and determining where to have it produced. For 192 Doves, a name that references the number of countries in the world, they settled on using a mix of American and Japanese denim.
California became a frontrunner for the new line’s production. “To do jeans is a very involved process, especially now,” said Rubin. “We have been very lucky to work with a very advanced washing facility in Los Angeles that allows us to experiment.”
That experimentation added more time to the process, as Rubin said they test-washed about 25 denims before settling on the ones they liked. The new line bowed during New York Fashion Week, and features rigid denim with dark washes and resin-baked finishes. While dark washes have been a key trend, Rubin said using rigid denim offers wearers a product that will tailor itself to their shape over time.
“The rigid denim allows the individuality of the wearer to come through,” said Rubin. “After you wear it, it’s going to adapt to the wearer.”
The women’s collection consists of the Stoclet, a low-rise straight cut; the Primavesa, a low-rise boot cut, and the Palais, a low-rise trouser. The jeans will retail for $180 to $220.
There’s also a men’s line and a higher-end collection for women dubbed the Indulgence group, which has three styles and wholesales for $110 to $190. The designers also are working with a suede that they intend to treat in the same manner as their denim.
Related Articles
You May Also Like
The designers aren’t approaching 192 Doves as simply a side project to their core collection. Instead, Rubin said they hope it develops into its own entity.
“We’re not looking to ride the wave right now,” said Rubin. “Our intention is really to grow it organically. This is not a side line, it’s a product in itself.”