General Pants Co goes for Standard line

Australian streetwear retailer General Pants Co has secured exclusive distribution rights for a denim brand positioned at the middle market. The brand was initially launched through a Sydney pop-up store earlier this month, with 15 General Pants now confirmed to pick up the collection for the spring/summer 2008/09 season. 

General Pants Co marketing manager Deana Marrocco said St&ard, which aimed to create a new "standard" in denimwear, was pitched at consumers looking for an alternative to trend-driven products. The debut range was manufactured from Japanese and Italian fabrications and included three denim fits across six washes.

"We've become smarter with limited budgets," Marrocco said of the St&ard consumer. "We don't allow ourselves to be slugged for uncomfortable embroidery or elaborate whiskering. We want our jeans to fit our bodies and we want to know the zips aren't going to loose teeth or that our buttons will pop."

The jeans would retail from $129 to $199 and include detailing such as a lightly embossed black leather brand patch, tonal stitching to match the varying dyes and a traditional button fly. A leather jacket, boot and belt would also be offered as part of the debut St&ard collection.

"We're bringing classic tailoring back," Marrocco said. "The St&ard workroom will feature an atelier to customise [consumers'] jeans, defining the line's strong design aspect for creating the perfect denim fit."

The launch would follow an ongoing campaign by General Pants Co to drive its denimwear offering. In March, the streetwear retailer plastered posters throughout Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne featuring dockets for free jeans and in-store discounts. It is understood 150 pairs were given away as part of the promotion, with brands including Ksubi, Nudie, Wrangler, Insight, Lee and Levi.

By Assia Benmedjdoub