RIPPED

Knee rips at Balmain, but we probably didn't need a ready-to-wear show to let us know that ripped jeans are quite the thing at the moment.

I think this is one to grow on, especially as it means that once we d.i.y some rips in one pair of jeans, we might need to replace them, which will make the shops happy.

I can't claim to be a recession expert, but a denim designer of my acquaintance did point out that when times are hard, people want smart clean jeans they can use for a multitude of occasions, from work to going out. I wonder how this squares with the faded, trashed and derelicte direction of a lot of denim?

Top: Balmain (www.style.com)
Left: Siwy (www.shopbop.com)
Right middle: Current/EliotT (www.shopbop.com)
Right bottom: What Goes Around Comes Around (www.shopbop.com)