| “How low can you go?”
The tag line for Dorinha Jeans Wear™ isn't rhetorical;
the hug-you, low-slung women's denimwear line has enough stretch
to spare for doing the limbo or the lambada with equal finesse.
The soft, supple and sexy denimwear line's hipster designs,
with “The original one-inch zipper”™ and flared
leg, are also “so comfortable you could work out in them,”
says Dorinha, designer of Dorinha Jeans Wear™.
Such a sizzling, dream combination of sex appeal, fashion
and comfort should guarantee a hot sell, and Dorinha hoped
her designs would be exactly that when they hit Below The
Belt and Off The Wall stores in B.C. Originally set for a
July 1st 2001 launch at both retail chains, the jeans are
selling pronto; Below the Belt is already sold out of one
style: A super low, 17" flare leg in bleach blue denim.
The retail chains have ordered several styles, some slightly
modified to spec; a favorite pick was a funky, checkered hipster
flare-leg number in alternating medium and light stonewash
squares. Dorinha says the sizes will range from 0-11, with
the final retail price to be determined.
The lower back-baring and abs-revealing jeans come in a variety
of finishes, designs and washes, many as exotic and inventive
as Brazilian-born Dorinha herself. She says her goal was to
create the ultimate women's jeans “because everybody
wears jeans, but they're not always comfortable.” A desire
for uniqueness inspires her designs: “I follow a fashion
statement of my own, what I think is sexy and comfortable
to wear, what makes me happy,” she says. “I want
women to feel confident, to feel good about wearing [my jeans],”
Dorinha adds. And her denimwear really does reflect a sense
of individuality, with styles and designs that range from
the funky and trend-conscious to the classic and downright
sexy. Impishly, she points out that many of the designs come
with large beltloops - accommodating her personal weakness
for large, eye-catching, midriff-focusing belts.
Originally from Brazil, the petite dynamo has called Vancouver
home for the past five years, where she has been active in
the city's film and television industry. A long-held interest
in fashion design and a recent trip to Brazil, as well as
the desire to start her own business, sparked Dorinha to create
her first pair of jeans. Within three months of returning
from Brazil Dorinha had more than 20 designs and samples,
her business partner (marketing director, photographer Dale
R. Reynolds), her own company, the Dorinha Jeans Wear™
label and orders from Below The Belt and Off The Wall. Dorinha,
who modeled the jeans herself while seeking retail representation,
says the buyers at the two companies loved the jeans right
away; one buyer went so far as to interrupt her boss in a
meeting to show off the samples. “My first clients are
very special to me; they opened the doors, received me with
such excitement and gracefulness,” she adds, smiling.
Her initial success is the result of a lot of hard work, and
is only the beginning as Dorinha intends her label to be much
more than the flavor of the month. She plans to eventually
expand her line to include more women's wear, men's jeans
and possibly women's lingerie; as well as future promotional
events like fashion shows and sending models wearing her designs
to represent her label at social events about town.
From the start, Dorinha intended her clothing and its designs
to reflect her Brazilian heritage. She says, with a wink,
that she wanted to bring some of the passion, excitement and
sensuality of her native country to her new home. Made from
Brazilian-grown cotton, manufactured in Sao Paulo and designed
with Latin flair, the jeanswear is as Brazilian as it gets.
Dorinha Jeans Wear™ is now available at Below The Belt
and Off The Wall stores in the B.C. Mainland and Victoria,
as well as at Below the Belt in Edmonton. Also available at
FAB in Vancouver.Hangers at Park Royal in West Vancouver and
Soho at Park Royal in West Vancouver. |
