They are made of fabric with glitter accents, have clips on back for attaching to tree.

The first pair of Robin’s Jean was created in January of 2005 by designer Robin Chretien, born in 1957 in Grenoble, France. The son of a pilot and a designer, he was fascinated by his country’s haute couture movement—but more so with images from America beaming into his life in the French Alps. “As a kid I must have watched The Wild One and Easy Rider hundreds of times,” says Chretien. “For me, growing up was always about motorcycles, denim jeans and leather jackets.”

It makes sense, then, that with the combined influences of his creative mother, the prevailing fashions in France and, of course, the très cool denim-branded Americanism showing up in his cinematic favorites, Chretien’s first job would be in the fashion industry—and that his focus would immediately be on denim.

“I started in the business at sixteen years old,” says Chretien, currently one of the leading denim designers in the United States and the head of Robin’s Jean Company, his own fledgling line of popular designer jeans that are selling out at the hottest boutiques in the country. “A couple of years later, I was opening fourteen stores for a large company, involved with the merchandising, staffing, buying and sales.”

But Chretien had always wanted to do more than handle the business side of clothing. Fascinated with the designs of the world’s best denim companies in the 1970s, he started designing his own denim brand in his twenties, and he knew immediately that he had found his passion. His jeans were carried in the fourteen stores he worked for, but he wanted more.

“It was during my first visit to Los Angeles in 1981 that I fell in love with the United States,” he says. “I promised myself that I would return to start my own denim brand there, and build a new life.”

But it was another 15 years before Chretien made the move across the Atlantic, just in time to be a part of the birth of the designer denim movement that has been sweeping the nation for the past several years. The Los Angeles-based Chretien started his American career at denim giant Blue Cult as a designer and head of product development.

In 2002, Chretien parted with Blue Cult and helped start a new line: Hudson Jeans. As the only designer in the company, as well as the manager of all product development, he was the brains behind the brand that quickly became a celebrity favorite. His 170 SD style, with their signature back pocket flap, became a huge success. Later, Chretien gave the jean a longer inseam and dubbed it the Super Model, and sales went through the roof.

It was during this time that the designer denim craze was at its height, and Hudson was one of the leaders in the crowded industry. Jeans had begun regularly selling for between $170 and $350.

“People want novelty,” Chretien explains. “The market demands a level of quality, and the cost of giving people what they want and producing in the United States drives the price to these levels. Also, producing a new collection every three months and bringing it to the people is no simple task.”

Chretien soon realized that he would never reach his full potential with Hudson, a company that wasn’t his. So he left to start his own.

“You live and learn and have to move on,” he says. “So, rather than waste time, I started Robin’s Jean Company.” That was in late 2004.

By January 2005, Chretien had completely reinvented his take on denim and had released the first pair of jeans from his new line. They were an immediate hit with the many store owners who had been familiar with Chretien’s work at Hudson.

Today, Robin’s Jean is produced from start to finish in Los Angeles. The fit of Robin’s Jean is what differentiates the brand from the others. Robin’s experience in the denim industry has allowed him to perfect his proportions and the placement of each detail. Robin’s Jean are flattering on all body types. They are made mostly of stretch fabrics, which are comfortable and help the denim to hold its shape. In the back of the jean, the rise is a little higher, which helps to minimize the gapping problem. With their signature embroidered wings logo (stitched either prominently across the back of the jeans, or more subtly on the back pockets or pocket flaps), slim silhouette, universally flattering fit and unique wash techniques, Robin’s Jeans have gathered steam at unprecedented rates.

Chretien says that he can’t give away the secret of how his jeans manage to flatter virtually any body shape. But he says it’s all about paying attention to the intricacies of the human form.

“It’s about proportion and the placement of each detail, and understanding how the body moves,” he says. “I’m always happy to hear that people love the jeans I make, but it always comes down to the fit. It doesn’t matter how much you embellish a pair of jeans. Th ey have to be flattering and sexy.

“Of course I pay attention to trends, but not to just chase them,” he continues. “I am always thinking about new styles and looks. Sometimes I have to stop my car to sketch a new silhouette or detail. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night to draw an idea that I was just dreaming about.”

The collection currently features three outstanding styles for Women and Men, available in multiple washes with the signature logo on the back pockets:

Skinny Leg Jean: Narrow cut denim with a late 70’s, early 80’s Rock-n-Roll appeal. Very fitted and body conscious, tapered at ankle.
Straight-Leg: In between wide and narrow hem, with the original shape bock pocket and embroidered wings on rear. Cut to appeal to a more classic and couture sensibility for denim.

Rowland Hussey Macy (above)

An entrepreneurial spirit then drove him to try himself in the printing business, gold speculation, and several retail businesses. On a crysp October day, in 1857, Rowland Macy opened a small “fancy dry goods” store in New York City on the corner of 6th Avenue and 14th Street and so began his biggest business venture which brought him all his wealth and fame. He racked up sales that day of $11.06, and two years later his sales totalled $85,000 for the year.

Original R. H. Macy and Co. Store Sign (above)

R. H. Macy & Co. Store on the 6th Avenue and 14th Street, New York (above)

The driving force and leadership behind the Macy organization, the founder of R. H. Macy and Co. implemented innovative business practices that modernized the retailing industry. Macy invented such business procedures (that we cannot now even imagine the retail industry to exist without) as the one-price system, in which the same item was sold to every customer at one price, and quoting specific prices for goods in newspaper advertising. Macy was the first retailer who took advertising seriously and used the printed media to differentiate his store from the competitors.  In terms of quantity and quality, he outnumbered his larger compatitors, such as Lord and Taylow, by producing more newspaper advertisements. As a merchant, Macy was very creative by being the first to introduce such products as the tea bag, the Idaho baked potato and colored bath towels. 

He also captured the hearts and joy of children everywhere with the introduction of the first in-store Santa Claus and elaborate, illuminated holiday displays. 

R. H. Macy and Co. Store, 1870s (above)

Macy’s Holiday Window Display 1870s (above)

Finally, Macy’s was the first retailer to promote a woman, Margaret Getchell, to an executive position, making business history. 

At some point between 1858 and 1878, the year of Rowland Macy’s death, the little fancy dry goods store on Sixth Avenue became a department store.  Under one roof, Macy’s drew together an enormous assortment of quality merchandise.  By offering customers a choice of furs, china, toys, jewelry, books, stationary, candy, silks and much more, Macy had created a new kind of institution, but one that would change the face of retailing.  Today, Macy’s name and legacy live on in the store which bears his name, Macy’s: America’s Department Store. a person who transformed the world of retailing. New York shop became the model for the modern department store and a powerful icon of business success. 

The only possible problem with this dress that I can see is the pointelle pattern, and specifically, what can be seen through it? For instance, if you want to wear just a bra and, let’s say, dark leggings or footless tights underneath, the light skin and then dark tights will create a contrast if shown through, making the dress look vulgar, rather than elegant. Something to think about…

“I don’t understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little – if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that’s the day she has a date with destiny. And it’s best to be as pretty as possible for destiny.” Coco Chanel

“In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.” Coco Chanel

“If a man talks bad about all women, it usually means he was burned by one woman.” Coco Chanel

“A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.” Coco Chanel

“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.” Coco Chanel

“As long as you know men are like children, you know everything!” Coco Chanel

“Success is often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable.” Coco Chanel

“A woman is closest to being naked when she is well dressed.” Coco Chanel

“How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone.” Coco Chanel

“Don’t spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door.” Coco Chanel

“Elegance is not the prerogative of those who have just escaped from adolescence, but of those who have already taken possession of their future.” Coco Chanel

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” Coco Chanel

“The best color in the whole world, is the one that looks good, on you!” Coco Chanel

“A women who doesn’t wear perfume has no future.” Coco Chanel