With ‘Etched Denim’, Amsterdam’s denim mainstay G-Star taps into a world where classic art meets classic denim. Silhouettes scream 2000s, but as far as inspiration goes, the brand dares to take a further step back in time. We are speaking 1600s-kind-of-step back, and the main character in question is Dutch painter Rembrandt.
This collection is a collaborative homage to Rembrandt’s iconic etching techniques, blending the old-world craftsmanship of one of Amsterdam’s most celebrated artists with G-STAR’s taste for modern design. The launch coincides with an exclusive exhibition at the Rembrandt House Museum, transforming the space where Rembrandt once worked into a contemporary canvas for denim innovation.
Try as they might, art and fashion are two tightly knit worlds where one constantly borrows from the other, often resulting in iconic collaborations. And ‘Etched Denim’ sees G-STAR adapting Rembrandt’s artistic techniques to a medium he likely never envisioned: denim. By combining his 1639 self-portrait with laser technology and fabric experimentation, G-STAR’s design team has managed to reinterpret the artist’s precision with an innovative twist—adding a brush of romance to denim’s rawness.
Much like Rembrandt’s fearless approach to materials such as parchment and Japanese washi paper, G-STAR’s creative team used laser detailing to capture the fine lines and layered textures of the Golden Age painter, drawing an impressive parallel between 17th-century etching and contemporary design tech.
Captured through the lens of photographer Philippe Vogelenzang, the campaign itself takes place in Rembrandt’s historic home, providing an elegant visual storyline where the classic and contemporary meet.
Discover the ‘Etched Denim’ collection online and in G-STAR stores.