A PERENNIALLY MODERN CLASSIC

The denim jacket is such a fashion luminary, it continues to attract all manner of consumers: actors, rockers, prepsters, Western wear fans, not to mention regular guys on the street.

The reason is simple: the rugged denim material reflects the attitude most men want to project, whether it’s the athlete, motorcycle enthusiast, outdoorsman, or everyman. It also works with casual apparel, like the khakis men have turned to in droves. Plus, a denim jacket wears well, washes well and works well in all kinds of weather.

In the Cotton Incorporated’s Lifestyle Monitor survey, nearly 62% of men report that being practical is the major concern when purchasing ... read moredenim, while about 32% feel that looking good is most important. And, of those male consumers surveyed, more than 75% said they owned a denim jacket.

And designers and manufacturers have kept it viable through the years, by tweaking the original formula—morphing the jacket from traditional Marlboro man styles, to big ’80s looks, to acid washed garments and back again.

Denim jackets, like jeans, are easily incorporated into a man’s casual wardrobe. And, according to the Monitor, 42.7% of men say that they might buy one or two denim items even if they don’t need them, making a jacket a likely impulse purchase. These buying trends reflect the Monitor stat that says 51.5% of men say they enjoy wearing denim.

Gap is betting that consumers will go for its latest incarnation—or, shall we say, reincarnation. “Gap is very excited about two different denim jacket styles from the re-launch collection of ‘1969.’