What do Jo Whiley and Kate Moss have in common, apart from a love of music?
They both have been seen wearing RUBY Jeans, a slinky new line of fashion forward denim wear from U.K. designer Kate Ogle.
Recently featured for their sexy, flattering fit and easy pairing with dressy and casual pieces, RUBY Jeans are popular with women worldwide, from the trendy London set and sophisticated New York City girls to the spirited women of Istanbul and Dublin.
RUBY took London by storm late last year, where they were carried by Harvey Nichols and Question Air, and now the jeans, which come in three color palettes and feature distinctively embroidered back yokes and fortune cookie-like hidden messages, have arrived in North America. They are carried by Lord & Taylor and Intermix in New York, with Madison, Nordstrom and Barney's to follow on the West Coast.
Kate has years of experience designing private label denim designer brands like Frost French, Ghost, Paul Costello, Pink Soda boutique and Barneys. "I have a great team around me and we've done this for quite a few years," she says. "We take the chosen denim cloth, work on achieving the correct wash, create spot-on fits and pull that all together with our distinctive RUBY styling."
The brand was born two years ago and christened RUBY. "The name is on loan from my late grandmother," she says. "She was a woman who believed in the joy of life. She was a precious gem in a beautiful world."
RUBY jeans are recognized for their clean lines, awesome fits and tonal embroidery, which are inspired by world influences. For example, the Rennie straight leg re-interpreted an African tribe's spiritual tattoos onto the rear yoke area.
"RUBY is about simplicity and consistency. With our designs we want positive to balance negative, as expressed in the use of black and white in our brand identity," Kate says. "We are strictly tailored denim and all our stitching is tonal. We will never venture into rips and tears or bold contrast stitching."
She adds, "We have a name for each jean, taken from my late grandmother's family and era - she came from a true East End family. We have Lil, Pearl, Rennie, Connie, John, Grace and Vera."
The collection's special ingredient is the fortune cookie-like aphorism contained within each jean. The idea came from a desire to bring a grounded message to a fashion product. The first jeans contained the words: "Without prayer there is no courage, and without courage no RUBY" - very apt for the launch of the new brand. This season the saying reads, "Sleep where you will wake with the strength to deeply love."
Kate hopes her customers will be inspired by the uplifting message. Meanwhile, she is following her good fortune wherever it may lead. "I fell into this," she laughs. "There was never a plan."
You can learn more about Ruby Jeans by visiting their website: Ruby Jeans