The Tennessee Jean Blog

BEHIND THE SEAMS

Introducing the Tennessee Illusions Jean

By: Jules Boyd

Jeans you’ll have to see to believe.

We’re no stranger to a loud print or bold pattern—that’s basically our thing. That crafty, hand-touched look is, no pun intended, very deeply woven into our brand ethos. With that being said, finding unique ways to breathe new life into designs is something we’re always striving to do. And because, at FP, there’s a story behind every style, are you ready to dive into the Behind The Seams of this one-of-a-kind pair? I know we are.

MEET THE TENNESSEE ILLUSIONS JEAN

First, our denim design and buying teams worked in tandem to find the perfect “clean canvas” for a one-of-a-kind print, eventually landing on our We The Free icon: the Tennessee Low-Rise Boyfriend Jean. With its easy fit and laid-back, wear-everywhere design, it checked off every box needed for our boldest print yet.

THE STORY BEHIND THE PRINT AND PROCESS

It’s an exciting time within the denim industry—new technology has developed a way for designers to print a photo-real image onto a garment, creating a hand-painted finish that gives the impression of an individual piece of art.

Now, let’s talk about the artwork itself. Drawing inspiration from landscapes, vintage paintings, and FP’s hand-touched sensibility, the design team took acrylic paints and, using a pair of old jeans as a canvas, created an impressionist-esque design that eventually became the print you see today.

The finished design is a love letter to the creative spirit behind our brand, and we wear it proudly.

“The design team took acrylic paints and, using a pair of old jeans as a canvas, created an Impressionist-esque design that eventually became the print you see today.”

Meet The Designer

MEET THE DESIGNER, HOLLY

Holly is part of our design team—at the time of the creation of the Illusion jean, she was the denim designer behind this pair. She now works with tops, but her inspiration remains the same: mainly vintage styles, music, art, color, and wherever she finds inspiration that can be transformed into a physical garment.

Each one of our in-house styles, from We The Free, to free-est, to Intimately, and everything in between, is designed right here at our Home Office in Philadelphia. From the initial sketch to the style hanging on the racks in a Free People store, someone from the design team saw it through. And it’s probably why there’s a little bit of hand-touched magic in every piece.

BUT SERIOUSLY, HOW ARE WE WEARING THEM?

Don’t worry, our studio team knew you’d ask, so they put together a few looks to help you get some inspiration.

LOOK 1: A Little Bit Delicate You know we’re a sucker for a femme, lacy top from Intimately. Pair these with the Hey Lover Cami; the easy fit and delicate detailing are the perfect contrast to the eclectic print.

LOOK 2: Classic Shirting Because just about everything looks good with a button-down. Play with print and pattern with the We The Free Freddie Striped Shirt —the oversized fit is the perfect artist-off-duty look.

LOOK 3: Back To The Basics You probably already have one of these in your collection. Our Nova Tee family features our favorite lived-in, boxy silhouette designed to be your jeans’ best-tee. Layer them for a bold look or keep it simple on their own.

ACCESSORIES SPOTLIGHT: Everything’s Better With A Belt Need to add that little extra something? We have just the thing. Add the Rhodes Stud Belt to tie it all together.
How are we wearing them?
We hope you had fun diving Behind The Seams of this soon-to-be iconic pair, and if you as excited for these jeans as we are, keep your eyes peeled for a few more members of our “Illusions” denim family coming soon…in the meantime, explore our We The Free icons to hold you over.

XOXO, FP.

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