G-Star on womenswear relaunch: “Denim is the heart of the collection”

In the iconic G-Star building along the A10 motorway in the South East of Amsterdam, FashionUnited speaks with Jennifer Zipp, design director at G-Star. In her role, she is responsible for the Dutch fashion brand's design vision and plays a key part in the relaunch of its womenswear. With the revamped womenswear collection, G-Star aims to translate the brand's existing design DNA into a distinctly feminine collection. Belgian DJ Charlotte de Witte is the face of this new direction. Zipp explains how the collection is created, the role denim plays within G-Star's DNA, and how the brand plans to further develop its womenswear in the coming seasons.

From afterthought to starting point

Womenswear currently accounts for about 30 percent of the total collection, according to Zipp. G-Star wants to further balance the ratio between the womenswear and menswear collections. “We would like to move towards a 50-50 ratio.”

“Womenswear was much smaller than menswear, yet we saw it had much more potential. With this relaunch, we want to take the female form and a distinct female point of view as a more explicit starting point in the design process.”

To increase the share of womenswear, G-Star will build on the development of new jean styles and fits in the coming seasons. Denim remains the foundation and constitutes the largest part of the womenswear collection. “We are already seeing that new, innovative fits in jeans are contributing to growth. We will build on that in the coming seasons.”

The focus is on a more distinctly feminine approach to G-Star's denim DNA. “We design from the body, paying attention to how denim shapes, supports and lifts. Our expertise in 3D construction helps us create silhouettes that are both characterful and flattering.”

The non-denim collection is designed to complement this, making it possible to create complete looks. “Growth is about a stronger, more relevant offering, with distinctive jeans as the foundation.”

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Denim as the collection's foundation

Although the revamped womenswear collection is broader than just jeans, denim remains the starting point. “Denim is the heart of the collection. Every season, we start with a denim launch.”

For the new collection, the brand revisited the Arc jeans, which G-Star introduced in 2007. “That was a different silhouette at the time, but we have reinterpreted it for this collection. We then build the rest of the collection from that denim base.”

According to Zipp, approximately 40 percent of the womenswear collection consists of denim. The brand's own design DNA and archive serve as the starting point, which the team reinterprets for today's woman. “We certainly look at trends, but we primarily examine what has worked in our archive and how we can modernise it.”

An example of this is the development of Neo Raw. “Raw denim is traditionally quite rigid, but for women, we wanted more comfort and a softer feel. Neo Raw is a pre-washed denim, which makes the fabric feel softer while retaining the dark look of raw denim.”

More room for fashion

For the upcoming seasons, Zipp says G-Star wants to prevent the relaunch from being a one-off change. “You can do a relaunch and then continue doing the same thing for years. We don't want that. We must keep innovating.”

The team is looking at changes in silhouette, colour and length. According to Zipp, the barrel jean will remain relevant for the time being. “We see that the barrel is selling very well and expect this silhouette to remain relevant for now.”

For future collections, she sees particular potential in varying lengths. “You now have everything from skinny to super wide-leg jeans, but length also plays an important role. Think of cropped, ankle and capri lengths. I think length will become one of the most important elements to play with.”

G-Star also notes that more distinctive designs are commercially successful. “When we include more trend-led items in the collection, we see that women embrace them immediately. That gives us the confidence to take more risks with silhouettes.”

This room for experimentation also exists within the collection itself. Alongside the main line, G-Star works with the so-called Archetypes, an experimental part of the collection that serves as a testing ground for new designs and materials. “We can be a bit bolder with silhouettes there and work with more premium materials and finishes. If something is well-received there, we can then translate it to the main collection.”

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From archive to new collection

The designs are developed from a combination of the brand's own archive and current market developments. “We have a large archive. We pull pieces from it that fit the themes we are working on and combine them with what we see in the market.”

For the womenswear collection, G-Star works with three head designers specialising in denim, non-denim and knitwear. They collaborate closely with the creative and technical ateliers to further develop designs and translate them into the collection.

The relaunch is therefore not just about a larger share of womenswear, but also about a different approach to design. Whereas women were previously less central at G-Star, the revamped collection aims to provide more space for feminine silhouettes, trend-led designs and experimentation, without abandoning the brand's denim DNA.