Seven For All Man Kind jeans during 2003 Park City – The 7 for All Mankind Lodge at The Seven for All Mankind Lodge in Park City, Utah, United States. (Photo by James Devaney/WireImage)James Devaney
Herman also points out that Balenciaga used rhinestones and not embroidery as the back pocket art, a quiet nod to breaking traditions of denim design. “What I always think about when it comes to something bejeweled, like for Balenciaga, is how interesting and inconvenient it is to sit on rhinestones,” says Herman. “The original intention of jeans is workwear. Obviously, there were no rhinestones anywhere; to put them on your butt, you’re scratching your furniture. You don’t sit in that jean, and if you do, you run the risk of a rhinestone or two falling off.” In this case, the glitzed-out back pocket design elevates the idea that jeans are no longer daily dungarees but instead boast a megawatt curb-to-cab appeal and must be treated accordingly.
Ultimately, the back pocket remix is always fun for denim—a bountiful wink from behind. As Herman says, “It’s something that you’ll have to live with on your butt. If you’re going to put something there, it better be good.” In Balenciaga’s case, their expanding bedazzled logo on the behind rounds out the pair quite nicely.