Australian denim brand Neuw Denim is the brain child of a male trio: Par Lundqvist, Richard Bell and Stephen Little. Daily Dose of Denim interviewed co-founder Par Lundqvist to find out more about the brand and his own denim story.
Hi Par! Could you tell us what your background in denim is?
While I was studying and playing in a band in Stockholm, I started working in a denim store. In order to do a good job at the store, I read a lot about the history and craft of denim. As I started to learn more about the product I was hooked. I decided I would never work with anything else but denim.
What was the reason for the birth of Neuw Denim?
Simply put: passion for jeans. Me and my co-founders had a desire to make modern denim products with integrity, substance and pride.
I’m sure you’ve been asked this before, but how did you come up with the brand’s name?
When the philosophy of the brand started to take form, I lived on a street in Brussels called Nieuwlandstraat. Neuw is derived from that.
When your brand is fairly new, I guess you want to stand out. How would you define the Neuw DNA and how is it different from other denim brands?
Neuw Denim stands for modern premium denim, inspired by equal amounts of traditional craft and real 21st century life experience. I guess you could say it’s honest, personal and imperfect.
What do you think are the strenghts of the brand?
I get positive feedback form people wearing our jeans everyday. They say they are trustworthy and wear well. Our jeans give people a confidence boost – this is what we work day and night to achieve. So I guess the strength of the brand is quality, modern aesthetics and fit.
Neuw is a modern brand. For the denim sector, heritage and craftmanship are key. How do you combine vintage and modern?
Before Neuw saw the light of day I spent 10 years researching every aspect of denim history, craft and culture. So when we started making modern jeans they were all made with traditional attention to detail and quality.
When checking the 33 hours video (see below), I was wondering what your link with music is? How is this reflected in the collection?
The good thing about running an independant brand is that you can focus on the things you like. We love music almost as much as denim. I think this is clear when you look closer at our collections. All of our jeans are named after cultural icons, most of them are musicians. Every collection we make starts with inspiration from our favourite songs and albums.
What do you think are the next trends in denim? And what can we expect from Neuw in the years to come?
After the reign of skinny jeans, a more relaxed silhouette is emerging. But it’s not loose abd sloppy. It’s a relaxed flattering fit that brings a sharp edge to the classic denim look.
Do you wear denim on a daily basis? Or do you get tired of it sometimes?
I sometimes take my jeans off when I go to sleep or have a shower. Other than that, no. We believe. And we don’t do things in half measures.
We were told you have an enormous denim collection; do you have an all-time favorite item?
The idea behind Neuw really formed when I was doing an apprenticeship with a pattern maker. He tought me how to re-cut my favourite vintage garments into modern fits. What I ended up with, was a modern looking jean that had been crafted according to traditional, high quality standards. I thought, if I ever get the opportunity to start my own brand, this is what it will be about.
The first jean I re-cut was a pair from the 50’s. They would have to quality as my favourites because they changed my life.
