Gloria Vanderbilt was already one of the best known American socialites when she helped transform the fashion industry. An heiress to the Vanderbilt fortune, Gloria was American royalty – and became fashion royalty as well.

 

Warren Hirsch was looking to recreate the denim jean by adding sophistication to a working man’s style. He was on the hunt for a known personality that could inject some glamour into his product. He looked towards the socialites of the day – the Rockefellers, Jackie Onassis. But it was Gloria Vanderbilt who said yes, and the designer jean was born.

 

The jean itself was cut really slim, and made from a unique deep indigo denim. After decades of the relaxed fit of Levi’s, Vanderbilt jeans fit like a second skin, accentuating every curve of the body. Not to mention drawing attention to the derriere by the inclusion of the embroidered swan logo on the back pocket. Jeans had become super sexy.

 

The jeans may have been tight, but Vanderbilt’s design used denim that wasn’t the traditionally stiff kind. This material moved and stretched with you, so you could sit down or breathe without hurting yourself. Plus, she introduced black and other colors to the denim market, so you had a multitude of options. Combined with the sexy fit and the swan on your back pocket, a little bit of classic sophistication could be yours.