Have You Heard About the Denim Brand Revolutionising Fit, Style, and Community? 👖✨💫

eseni is not your typical denim brand. It's a movement built on diverse women, designed with their feedback at the forefront. Founded by Naomi Genes, the creative force behind Neima Row, and Charlotte Quinn ex-Atelier Ninety Five and Refy, eseni’s mission is clear - to create the perfect pair of jeans that flatter and fit every body type. But it doesn't stop there, eseni is reshaping the way denim is made by putting community, sustainability, and inclusivity at its core.

In a candid interview, Naomi and Charlotte share the story behind eseni, their design process, and how they’re changing the denim game.

FROW: What inspired you to create eseni, and how does it differ from other denim brands on the market?

Naomi: I’ve always been a huge lover of denim; it’s literally all I wear. Being online and sharing my fashion looks for a number of years, denim has always been the number one thing I get asked for. While I love giving my audience the direct links to all my denim, I always felt a little hesitant, as it’s rare for me to find an actual pair I 100% love. I was keen to start eseni to selfishly create something I had control over. The fit, the wash, and the hardware are such important steps when finding the perfect denim and something I am so particular about, so I knew I would be able to create something great.

Charlotte: Naomi and I have known each other for a few years now, and as we were chatting about Naomi’s love-hate relationship with denim, we realised it wasn’t just Naomi who felt denim was such a hard product to shop for. We opened it up to friends and family and found everyone felt the same. This sent us down a bit of a rabbit hole, which taught us a lot about how denim is made to fit women. eseni is different because we really are doing what we can to fit to our bodies without compromising on denim quality, styles, and washes. We don’t want this to be the alternative brand for comfort, but instead the go-to for styles and washes that fit, as that is given.

FROW: Many women struggle to find jeans that fit well. How is eseni addressing this common frustration?

Charlotte: We have been working with a really talented designer who has had some experience in premium denim. She has taught us a lot about the technical side of clothes, specifically denim, and we found that the grading rule for denim isn’t made to fit how most of our bodies are now. We’ve utilised Danni’s technical experience and our community to create our own grading rule per style, per size. For example, no brand will adjust the size 12 from the size 6 in that style. The rules of the design are applied to every size within that style, whereby we have adjusted elements depending on the size so that the styles can be worn as they are across each size.

Naomi: Likewise, the use of our growing community has been incredible, as we were able to understand the main concerns. So, we will work on providing as many leg lengths as we can to start and have the goal to expand into more as we grow.

FROW: Can you tell us about the 'fit clinics' you've been hosting? What have you learned from these events?

Charlotte: Wow, so much. We really didn’t think they would help as much as they have. We’ve hosted around four fit clinics now, where we have invited anyone who wants to join to come along and try on our samples, as well as asking for videos of our community in their favourite pair of denim. It was important to us to not just go off mine and Naomi’s bodies and make sure the things we felt frustrated with were felt across the board.

Naomi: The main thing we have learned and been reassured of is women’s struggle with denim. We can’t believe it’s never been addressed after hearing how passionate women are about this. Technically, the biggest learning has been the dreaded denim gape and how much we all hate clingy thigh denim!

FROW: How has working directly with your community shaped the design of eseni jeans?

Both: Design-wise, we went for classic styles that can be worn by most body types to start with, but working with our community has changed almost every element within these styles—from the baggy style being too baggy to the original denim being ‘too soft’. Overall, the styles they have loved but they have had a huge input in the details such as the back pockets. This might sound so simple, but the positioning, size, shape—everything on the pocket changes the way our bum looks in jeans.

FROW: We've heard that eseni uses everyday women as models. Can you share more about this decision and its impact?

Both: Through doing the fit sessions, we found so many women have their go-to style in their head and would never try on another style. With them almost being forced into trying styles that they wouldn’t usually, almost every single one was so surprised at how much they liked those styles. We figured this is due to shopping online and not being able to relate to the models or get a true understanding of how this might look on them. So, we knew this had to be a feature on the site. We are still using regular models, but will have a fit section to show on other shapes and sizes.

FROW: Sustainability is a hot topic in fashion. How is eseni approaching eco-friendly denim production?

Both: We’ve really vetted the factories we have chosen to work with, the ones who is focused on the sustainability of manufacturing, specifically in denim. Because of this, we have limited production and are stocking fewer units to start. We create garments with longevity in mind, ensuring the best processes are followed throughout our product's creation. We have partnered with a Turkish manufacturer that is constantly working towards a circular economy by recycling and repurposing as much of their waste as possible.

All our washes are low impact, meaning that they use less water and energy. Any chemicals used are non-harmful. We have partnered with a manufacturer that has strong sustainable beliefs, and they will constantly evolve over the next 5 to 15 years. By the end of 2025, they are going to be carbon neutral by planting half a million trees. They recycle all of their water and have zero water discharge. All workers involved are paid above minimum wage and have health and safety approval.

We have followed this through into our packaging by opting for cotton and recyclable and biodegradable plastics. We will also work towards educating our community not to wash their denim, or at least reduce the number of times they do. Denim typically doesn’t need washing as much, so we have stated to ‘care for your planet and wash less’, and once you’re done with your denim (hopefully never), donate or recycle. As our collections grow and evolve, we will always aim to make small changes at every stage in order to make a meaningful positive impact.

FROW: What can customers expect in terms of size range and inclusivity from eseni?

Both: We have grouped sizes as women are generally between sizes, and we have also added a nice feature to the denim to allow for fluctuations. In terms of sizing, we’re offering sizes from 23 up to 38, which equates to a size 4 to a size 22. We are also offering different leg lengths, starting with regular and short on one style and 28-38 on another. It’s our goal to be able to supply more leg lengths in all styles as we grow, but consciously, without an idea of demand, this could contribute to a lot of waste and unnecessary production to start.

FROW: How do you envision eseni's jeans fitting into a modern woman's wardrobe?

Both: They will be your essentials. Jeans are worn for literally every occasion, eseni will be that go-to brand. We are women, avoiding mass production and generic sizing, making a product for women, so we are confident they will be everyone's go-to brand for denim styles.

FROW: Can you share any exciting features or innovations we can look forward to in eseni's first collection?

Both: Outside of the technical changes (i.e. us changing the grading rules, which is a big deal), we have also included an adjustable internal waistband. The element of changing the grading rule is really what has made a huge difference, but it’s unseen, and we still will face some women finding the fit not quite right (due to so many body shapes). We touched on the grading element above a little, but this is between sizes in styles but the main thing we have done across all sizes and styles is to review the hip, waist, and thigh ratio, making the thighs a little bigger than the normal rule and the waist a little smaller. This is the most common problem!

Charlotte: Alongside this, we wanted to try and tailor the fit even more, so we really tried to develop the waist adjuster. We have worked on the quality of the elastic and the denim thickness to avoid ruching and to allow the denim to look the same if we are using this feature, so no one will know!

FROW: As established entrepreneurs, what made you decide to start fresh with a new denim brand?

Both: It’s really needed. So many brands in different industries tailor their products to different sizes, skin tones, intolerances, etc, but a product that almost every single woman owns is not really being disrupted. We genuinely believe we are just listening to people and making something that’s a lot better.

FROW: How has the feedback from your 10,000+ community members influenced your design process?

Both: The main thing it has done is assured us of the route we were going down. As we mentioned, almost every woman who sent a video or emailed in had the same frustration, so it was almost an easy process, as we knew the areas we needed to start with first.

FROW: How do you plan to maintain the community-driven approach once the brand launches?

Both: We want to spend more time in person with our community coffee dates, development sessions, and just ensure we have an open community. The brand is being built by them, and we want that to continue through every style and product we bring out.

FROW: What's been the most surprising thing you've learned about women's relationship with denim during this process?

Both: Really good denim is rare…

FROW: For women who've given up on finding the perfect pair of jeans, what would you say to encourage them to try eseni?

Both: We haven’t formed this product alone, we have listened to every single woman who has communicated their problems with us, and with that, we are pushed for some small changes that make a huge difference, not just in the fit, but in the wash, the denim quality, and the finishes. We might not have perfected the fit for everyone, but we know these are one step closer for sure. For those who are scarred from their denim experience, message us, we want to know more!

With its focus on women, community input, and sustainability, eseni is poised to disrupt the denim industry in the best way possible. Expect stylish, flattering fits that adapt to your body, not the other way around.