Woh-vuhn

>> The ‘A’ with a ring in the denim label Wåven (pronounced like ‘woven’) is vaguely significant.  Wåven’s founder and roots may be British but that Scandinavian touch is what marks this brand out as an affordable denim brand with a difference.  Anika Islam’s family has been in the denim business for over thirty years in South East Asia and after studying economics at Edinburgh and putting in a two-hour stint at Central Saint Martins and deciding it wasn’t for her, she went about setting up Wåven, spending a fair amount of time on getting the product and concept right, hence the minimal Scandi-feel of the imagery and the product.  The result is a branding experience – both on the website and in their temporary pop-up store in Soho – that feels like it’s been around much longer than its brief two seasons.

A solid and considered denim line for both men and women, that comprises not just jeans but tops and jackets (their S/S 15 Britta A-line coat is a standout piece) coupled with price points that is between £35 to £70, means that Wåven’s debut season saw them being picked up by ASOS, Urban Outfitters and from next week onwards, in Selfridges‘ prestigious denim floor.  I’m no denim expert but in my mind, there are few equals to Wåven, in terms of price and quality, as Islam and her team seek out the best denim that can be bought in scale to reduce costs.

On Thursday, I stopped by Wåven’s pop-up space on 3 D’Arblay Street in Soho, where they’ve got a jeans customisation workshop going on for the duration of their tenure until the 10th June.  From £4-£10 a patch you can go get your Wåven jeans personalised with plaids and different shaded denim patches downs.  We can thank Junya Watanabe for the proliferation of patchwork denim, and I’m still deathly faithful for my hardy Junyas but as a price-conscious alternative with a greater flexibility in fits and washes, Wåven’s patchwork denim is worth seeking out.  In any case, the pop-up gives people an opportunity to try out Wåven’s range in-person, as this fast growing denim start-up will probably be settling down with a more permanent presence soon.

Customised Wåven jeans worn with Muveil breton top, Miu Miu jacket, Purified loafers and Miu Miu sunglasses