The Considered Closet
J Brand and Elsa Hosk’s ultra-cool capsule collection combines style and sustainability
J Brand has joined the eco-conscious sartorial revolution: the LA-born label is on a mission to become 100% sustainable by 2020. Launched almost 15 years ago, the brand is now often considered the off-duty-model uniform of choice; its cult ‘Carolina’ jean has even been affectionately nicknamed ‘the supermodel jean’ for its leg-lengthening, stretchy, high-waisted design. Stylish women flock to the label for these ultra-flattering cuts and high-quality materials, so by taking on a greener approach, J Brand is proving that a focus on sustainability doesn’t mean sacrificing style.
To help achieve this new eco-conscious vision, the brand teamed up with supermodel and influential street-style star Elsa Hosk. The Swedish beauty – who’s walked the runway for Balmain, Alberta Ferretti and Altuzarra – is a huge fan of the label, and is one of its ambassadors. “When this project came up with J Brand, it was just so exciting for me,” said the model, who has co-created the eco-conscious capsule collection called #LittleJean. “They are such an iconic denim brand (they made the first designer jeans I bought when I came to the US), and they’re also working on being sustainable, which is so important.”
The line offers a variety of silhouettes, materials and washes with varying sustainability attributes. “They are known for making the best jeans with extremely flattering fits, so I just wanted to take some of those sustainable fabrics and push the shapes a bit. Anything we can do to help the environment is so crucial right now, and I’m proud to say that all the blue jeans in this collection use 90% less water in production,” says Hosk.
During the design process, Hosk drew upon her childhood talent for customizing denim silhouettes: “Ever since I was a kid I was obsessed with jeans and how they fit. If there was a trend that hadn’t come to Sweden yet, I would get big jeans and then re-cut and re-sew them.” Some of the looks are upcycled using archived fabrics from her favorite J Brand jeans of recent years. Plus all tags, trims, threads and hardware are made of either recycled or sustainably sourced materials.
To be as eco-friendly as possible, manmade eco-stones were used instead of mined pumice stones, as they are a natural resource that generates a large volume of post-use waste and eventually end up in our oceans. Hosk also oversaw the naming process for all of the pieces, as well as the styling and creative concept of the campaign, which she fronts.
As for aesthetic appeal, the supermodel stamped her effortlessly cool sense of style across the collection. With an overall vintage feel, there is a white high-waisted, wide-legged style that can be easily dressed up or down; a faded black boyish shape that that is perfect for the weekend, paired with a loose cotton T-shirt and sneakers; and a pair of ’90s-inspired, high-waisted skinny jeans that can be tucked into combat boots for a cool off-duty look, or worn with stilettos and a silk blouse for an easy evening option.