Future Denim Makers Lab Showcases Sustainable, Emotion-Driven Denim Design
Publish Time：2026-10-20 Clicks：4
“We challenged the designers to think about how they can not only recreate our signature jumpsuit, but to think about how they pay homage and make a future artifact of American denim,” Underwood said. “We asked them to think about labor, circularity, repair and their personal story. And what we received was a heartwarming and amazing execution of not just style, but also the storytelling.”
One of the standout pieces was Pasquariello’s design called “Their Jeans, My Dreams.” The design told the story of her Polish immigrant family who were both miners and factory workers for generations. Underwood said Pasquariello’s execution, meticulous attention to detail and thoughtful approach to the design reflected the deeply personal nature of the story, honoring her family’s legacy with care and authenticity. Another designer, Bialas, was inspired by her family’s history in organic farming in the Hudson Valley. She used that story to experiment with the natural dyeing process cyanotype.
Future Denim Makers Lab played out on Kingpins’ show floor, where some of the participants continued to work on their designs. Kingpins was an ideal launching pad, Underwood said. She recalled how her first visit to the show in 2004 was the first time she saw the denim industry’s typically fragmented ecosystem come together in one place. “It’s been one of the most exciting spaces because it really brings all of the industry participants together,” she said. “Much of my education has come from the Kingpins community.”
The activation brought the same youthful energy and creativity Kingpins’ Amsterdam event is known for and served as an opportunity for the emerging talent to meet one-on-one with the industry. In fact, Underwood urged participants to make connections, calling it “meaningful access.”
“I basically told them, you’re going get a lot of eyes on you, and this is an opportunity for you to show up and market yourself and network. Most designers don’t have that access, so work the room, get business cards, connect with mills and watch the denim talks because there is so much incredible industry knowledge in the room,” she said.
While Future Denim Makers Lab aims to inspire the next generation of designers to think deeper about their designs, Underwood said it also underscores the shortage of denim-specific education in design programs in the U.S. The opportunity to experience the whole denim process at Jean School in Amsterdam, along with the hands-on support professionals receive at LaundRe in London, are among the examples that Underwood would like to see replicated one day in the U.S.
For the next edition of Future Denim Makers Lab , which will launch at Kingpins Los Angeles in January 2027, Underwood is already brainstorming how to get participants into laundries.
Afterall, she said Oak & Acorn’s mission always been about education. The brand started around the untold history of denim, beginning with indigo and has carried that ethos into how it shows up in the community.
“It’s not enough for a brand to simply exist. [It’s up to us] share that experience and lead with example. If you have space to give the next generation an opportunity that experience, it behooves brands to do so,” Underwood said.