The dictionary defines jeans as being "trousers made of heavy cotton cloth called denim [worn] in informal situations." Checking out this collection below, in descending order of most luxurious - nearly all involving some form of diamond-studding - dictionary makers may need to rethink the "formal" part.
Diamonds: a jeans' best friend
Secret Circus made a name for itself with this pair of hand-made jeans that later sold for $1.3 million - the same price as JK Rowling's most recent home purchase.
Modeled by Irma Matulionyte at the brand's London Fashion Week launch in February, 2008, Secret Circus later sold the historic pair to an anonymous bidder. We know nothing about the so-called buyer, except they have a 27-inch waist (maybe) and more money than sense (certainly).
Leaving aside the distinct possibility of an elaborate publicity stunt, the low-key nature of the purchase suggests the kind of discretion not normally displayed by the type who wears their denim decorated with 15 diamonds, cut by London-based firm Duttson Rocks, on the back pockets.
These include a 4.63-carat marquise-cut diamond (value: $200,000), two six-carat round brilliant-cut diamonds ($500,000 each), one 5.09-carat princess-cut ($200,000), one 5.27-carat pear-cut ($300,000) and 10 single-carat diamonds (a mere $100,000 in total). The producer thoughtfully provided a clasp to enable the valuables to be removed before washing - should they ever indeed be worn.
150 years of Levi's edition
"To mark one of our most significant product launches, we have created the boldest and most valuable pair of jeans in the world," announced Anna Brockway, Levi's director of marketing, back in 2003.
Little was she to know of the diamond-studded ace Silver Circus would have up its sleeve (above) but at the time, this one-of-a-kind pair was the most valuable in the world, with an estimate of $85,000.
In order to celebrate the brand's 150th anniversary, as well as to promote its Type-1 Jeans line, Levi's made this masterpiece together with H. Stern Jewelers.
They decorated Levi's symbolic features, especially highlighted in the Type-1 line, with gold, diamonds and rubies - four diamond buttons, six diamond rivets, a Red Tab logo made of 18k white gold and two-horse back patch made of 18-carat red gold, to be precise.
Brockway said the pair "not only celebrates our history but is part of our history." They also ended up part of a $150,000 Prize Package for the Super Bowl Ad Contest, in which an additional $65,000 in gold and cash was thoughtfully included.
Jeans for all mankind. Photos: Courtesy of 7 For All Mankind
Miner miracle
Before 2003's anniversary pair, a false rumor spread on the Internet that the most expensive jeans in the world was some Levi's "Nevada Jeans" found in Nevada (hence the name).
In 1906, an earthquake caused a fire at Levi's plant in San Francisco, destroying their archives, including patterns, names and serial numbers.
A pair of carbon-dated 1880s carpenter jeans - with a folding-ruler pocket in the left thigh - were miraculously found in a in a Nevada mining town and auctioned on eBay.
Various denim-lovers, including Ralph Lauren, bid for the antique jeans but eventually Levi's won them back 30 seconds before the end for $46,532 (the most expensive ever bought at the time).
Later in 2003, the record was broken: the world's oldest jeans were actually a pair of Levi's 1879 jeans bought by its producers from a Japanese dealer for $125,000.
They would have cost $10 originally but can now be found carefully packed in soft white cloth, in a climate-controlled safe in Levi's archives in its San Francisco headquarter. Staff are expected to wear gloves when they do periodical checks on the jeans.
Jeans for all mankind. Photos: Courtesy of 7 For All Mankind
$700 For All Mankind
It is said that every US female between 18 and 25 owns a pair of 7 For All Mankind, despite the cost of these premium jeans. Although only launched in 2000, the Los Angeles-based brand quickly earned worldwide acclaim for its classic use fits, fabrics, and finishes.
The only apparel brand included in the "Top 10 New Products of the Decade," 7 For all Mankind jeans are worn by Hollywood celebrities including Anne Hathaway, Angelina Jolie, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Alba, Teri Hatcher, Ben Affleck and Brad Pitt.
One of their most expensive ranges was produced in cooperation with brand The Great China Wall (GCW). Decorated with crystals, jasper stones and other luxury materials, the "Level A" edition added GCW's logo (a rising sun) below the front and back pockets; "Level Bs" added a thread design consisting of rivets and natural jasper stones; and the most expensive were "Level C," made with Swarovski crystals and jasper stones down the legs.
At $695 a pair, they're the most "civilian" priced of all those mentioned above, meaning it's possible for almost anyone to wear a pair of one of the most expensive jeans in the world.
