STIFEL’D CREATIVITY

Printed denim is more than a darling trend, it’s true to the times of the Trail. Stifel brand denim originated in the 1830s out of Wheeling, West Virginia, when a German immigrant named J.L. Stifel popularized an indigo-dyed calico (a fabric falling somewhere between muslin and canvas in terms of texture), often featuring the likes of polka dots, flowers, or dotted lines. Unfortunately, the company shuddered in 1957, making the vintage pieces boasting the famed boot logo a highly collectible commodity.

The origins and evolution of Stifel Denim are far more fascinating than we can do justice, but we highly recommend the recent publication by Eric Maggiori entitled Stifel, The American Blue Dream which chronicles it more comprehensively and might even ignite your own appreciation (and quest for) the authentic bits of Americana.

We were inspired to give new life to the look with our own interpretations of the indigo polka dot in our Circle Dot Herd pieces and the denim stripe in Pitchwagon Ticking.