Meet Ginew, an Indigenous-Made Denim Line With a Traditional Twist - Vogue

Why the particular focus on denim? “We were intrigued by how selvedge denim tells a unique story, almost like being a canvas onto which you paint your experiences and journeys on,” said Brodt. “The texture is great and changes over a lifetime. Denim is a romantic fabric.” Their core pieces drew inspiration from their respective communities. The Heritage denim coat, for instance, has since become one of the brand’s signatures, and pays homage to Brodt’s great-great-grandfather. “I started [thinking] about the transition he made from hunter-gatherer to agrarian,” he said. “I thought about what he might have been wearing in those moments—how it would need to be utilitarian, functional, sturdy.” As a result, the style is made with a thick selvedge denim from Japan’s Nihon Menpu mill, where they source all of their denims; it’s also lined with a graphic printed wool that was made in collaboration with Pendleton and the Sičangu Lakota artist Dyani White Hawk, who incorporated shapes of Ojibwa and Oneida dwellings, as well as colors found in the wampum belt teachings, among other references.

Photo: Courtesy of Ginew

Photo: Courtesy of Ginew

This kind of indigenous flourish—discreetly added onto the interiors of pieces, or cited as a design backstory—is precisely the kind of spirit Ginew hopes to continue infusing into its collections. “The traditional elements we use are our tribal values, family stories, symbols, and traditional textiles,” said Bruegl, who herself has referenced her upbringing as inspiration for pieces as well. “We designed the Wax Rider Jacket after my grandfather, who struggled to obtain employment as a Native welder in the ’50s in the towns neighboring the reservation,” she said. “Together, my grandparents made the decision not to relocate to the city and chose instead to maintain the family on the reservation, surrounded by culture and support.” The jacket’s moto-inspired silhouette is a nod to Harley-Davidson, which hired her grandfather at that particular time, giving him the ability to support his family on the reservation.

Photo: Tom Borges / Courtesy of Ginew

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