When it comes to fashion and playing phone games, it’s no secret that people want to follow the trend. Some general fashion terms and clothing items have surprising geographic roots. Keep reading to know more about them.

Denim Jeans

The term ‘denim’ comes from fabric “serge de Nimes” made in France city of Nimes. The word is used in America since the 18th century. “Genes” was the name given by the French to the people from Genoa, where cotton trousers were made. Jeans come from the word Genes. In the 1800s, American gold miners needed clothes that were strong and long-lasting. Levi Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis supplied miners with denim pants that were made from durable material and reinforced with rivets at the places where pants tended to tear.

Jersey

Jersey, in the Channel Islands, was famous for its knitting trades in the medieval times. Because of the original fame, the name Jersey is still applied to many forms of knitted fabric. The traditional jersey is dyed in a navy blue colour. As the dye does not require stripping the wool of its natural oil, the sweaters become water-resistant.

Argyle

The argyle pattern is made of diamonds or lozenges. The argyle pattern derives from the patterned socks worn by Scottish highlanders since the 17th century. Argyle knitwear became fashionable in the United States after the first world war. The design was popularised by Pringle of Scotland and the Duke of Windsor used this pattern for golf clothing – both for jerseys and long socks needed for the plus-four trouser fashion.

Suede

Since the Paleolithic era, animal hides have been used to create household and clothing items. Suede originally appeared in the gloves from Sweden made out of velvety leather. Eventually, the phrase began to refer to any type of leather material with a napped finish. Suede became much more popular in the fashion industry during the 20th century. Due to its delicate and luxurious nature, it was considered as a symbol of status.

Duffel

The name ‘Duffel’ comes from a town in Flanders called Duffel. During the 17th century, a thick Duffel cloth was used to make bags in the town. It was also exported to Portugal and Spain. It was also used as a covering material for ships because of its durable qualities. Spanish and Portuguese sailors used a cut-off of the material to fashion crude bags of their belongings. In the 1890s, the British Navy used the material to produce coats for Antarctica expedition. The material was circulated to Britain and America by the late nineteenth century.

Calico

Calico originated in Calicut, India in the 11th century. By the 18th century, it was an important commodity traded between India and Europe. In the 12th century, Hema Candra (an Indian writer) mentions calico prints decorated with a printed lotus design. However, the earliest fragments to survive have been found at Fustat, in the neighbourhood of Cairo.

Did you know much of this already?