Earth, stone, fire and jeans
MELBOURNE: A hero from a faraway land has pledged to take up the age-old quest for the ultimate jean.
Hailing from South Africa, Clague jeans are the newest entrant into the Australian high-end denim market.
And with a price tag set well below the highest of the high - $180 to $200 for women's jeans and $260 to $280 for men's - they also claim to achieve a sought-after blend of premium quality and value for money.
Clague founder Norman Clegg - who has manufactured jeans for high recall international labels including the Calvin Klein group of brands - said small runs and monthly style injections offered a crucial point of difference in the market.
"The product is made in South Africa and I have assembled fabrics and trim from Japan, Italy and the US to sew and wash the product in a facility that gives me the quality levels I demand."
All Clague patterns were styled, designed and cut in Australia, then streamed into a facility in Africa where they were cut into garments overnight, he said.
"The make and wash is done using proven wash recipes that have been developed by me and my staff in Africa. The washes are high-tech finishes that are consistent with those used by leading edge brands in Italy."
The name Clague had its roots in the druids of England and the Vikings of northern Scandinavia, Clegg said. The rune design of the logo was a symbol of earth, stone and fire, a fitting emblem for jeans that were both personal and made to last.
"My feeling is that the jeans must last a lifetime and feel so good that you don't want to take them off. I still wear jeans that I made 10 years ago, whilst manufacturing for CK, where I used this philosophy for my own personal jeans."
Clague had secured interest from a number of Melbourne boutiques including Chapel Street store Esas, Clegg said.
Meanwhile future Clague projects included individual custom-made jeans.
"I really feel custom-made is the doorway to the future. At this time we can produce the product but need to consolidate our main business before we venture into this as a main source of income."
By Belinda Smart