As I walked through the brand new glass doors of the first ever Silver Jeans store, I was welcomed by the smell of crisp denim, the sound of The Beatles playing in the background, and a friendly staff ready for action! First, asking to see Michele Bedrink, I looked around noticing the color palette of warm earth tones, and a glass water feature in the back that creates an elite, feng shui-friendly feeling. Instantly, I was shaking Michele’s hand and being told, “It’s so nice to meet you, thank you so much for coming and we are going to hook you up with a pair of jeans because, we can’t have you walking around in someone else’s jeans!” I was in such a state of shock, that all I could do was smile and say, “ No, thank you!” Immediately, Michele took my hand, leading the way to the founder/president of this pristine denim company, Michael Silver.
I found myself shaking the hand of Mr. Silver! I knew I had to make the most of this moment -- I mean, who gets to meet a designer just any ordinary day? “Hello, I’m Sarah and I’m with Westword!” I said. Michael replied, “Hello Sarah, I’m Michael. Nice to meet you!”
Then, with no hesitation I asked, “May I ask you a couple questions?” Michael was more then happy to answer these questions that I’m sure he has heard umpteen times before!
Q: “What makes Silver Jeans different from any other brand of jeans?”
A: “ My family has been in this business since 1921, and we have sold about sixty million pairs of jeans. There are three things we go by at Silver; Fit, Fashion, and Finish. Fit is very important because we know that not everyone is the same. Having five different body type styles makes it ideal to find your perfect jean. You may be a size 27 in the waist, but you may be a 30 in the length or you may be a 23, so we know how to balance the waist and length. We don’t just cater to one certain age group, we do everyone -- both men and women. Never, do we say we lead in the fashion industry, we just want to please our customers. Also, not only do we pay attention to fashion here in the US, but in Europe, Asia, and Canada. At Silver Jeans, we call ourselves, “Jeaners” because we craft them, it’s out art. When we put the finish on our jeans, we make sure they will last and be worth the price you pay!”
Q: “ Why did you chose Denver, Colorado, to open your first store?”
A: “ I get asked this question a lot! Many people wonder why I didn’t decide to open in LA, New York, or Miami, I just think if I did, that would boost my ego in a bad way, competing with all those other designers. Denver has a strong market, and people here understand my concept of selling a great jean!”
Q: “Do you plan to expand the stores here and else where in the US?” A: “I plan to open a couple more here in Colorado, and also open at least fifty stores throughout the US in the next five years.”
Q: “Depending on the success of the store here, will your jeans still be sold at department and specialty chain stores?” A: “Oh yes, we plan to continue! Not only is it good for the stores to be able to say, “We sell Silver Jeans!” but it’s good for us to sell our jeans elsewhere -- it's great publicity!”
After my interview with Michael, I wanted to gather some input from Silver Jeans customers.
Interview with Chandler, Molly, and Brianna -- The Promoter Girls Q: “Why do you like Silver Jeans?” A: Chandler, “I love their rocker-chic style, they are also really comfy!” A: Molly, “Same! I love them and their comfort!” Q: “Do you think these jeans are worth the price you pay?” A: Brianna, “Yeah they are!”
Interview with Meagen and her Mom Q: “What do you like/dislike about Silver Jeans?” A: Meagen, “I like that they have skinny jeans!” A: Mom, “I don’t like that they think everyone is six feet tall!”
That’s when I heard the DJ start spinnin’ some tracks and everyone migrated to the back of the store…it was time for the fashion show! The show covered three different looks; black and white, hippie, and country western. The black and white look used Silver's simple denim pieces, and paired them with an edgy shirt or pair of shoes. Paying respect to earth-friendly buyers, the hippie look rocked the wide-leg and boyfriend jean with t-shirts promoting peace and going green. Finally, the country western look went back to our Colorado roots with embroidered denim and country tops. All these looks were great, really showing off these versatile Silver Jeans pieces. I would definitely recommend checking out this new addition to the Park Meadows Mall. The shop is located on the second floor near the Dillard’s. Not looking for a new pair of jeans? Silver also has a great selection of men and women’s tops, leather belts, and fun accessories. With great merchandise, and a friendly staff, you can’t go wrong!
-- Sarah Bolliger
