Born, raised, made in Knoxville: Marc Nelson Denim

Oh, the Places We See

9 years ago

Whiskey dyed jeans from Marc Nelson Denim, Knoxville, Tennessee

Ad for Marc Nelson Denim — from website: marcnelsondenim.com

Dogwood Art DeTour 2015 took us a lot of places from the open studios of Diana Dee, Melanie Wood, and Shannon Davis to the heart of Knoxville on E. Depot Avenue for the art of manufacturing at Marc Nelson Denim. Oh, sure. We’d seen the ads of a handsome couple sporting whiskey-stained denim, but never knew the story — or even the location — of denim jeans causing a buzz in the fashion world.

Founder Marc Hall, born and raised near the old, now defunct, Levi’s plant on Cherry Street, took pride in wearing Levi’s partly because his grandfather, L. C. Nelson, had a flair for fashion and a love of quality. My grandfather always told me that when you leave the house, even if you don’t have a million bucks, you should dress like a million bucks, said Hall (as quoted on website.) And thus, the trend began. Now, this small-batch craft denim brand produces sought-after limited quantity jeans named for Marc and his grandfather, Mr. Nelson. (Full story here.)

Founder Marc Hall’s grandfather, L. C. Nelson

Our tour began with a greeting from the affable buyer and product developer, Kim Milligan, who directed us to one of the friendliest PR guys in town, Andy Jones. Andy almost immediately took us to the racks of clothing, like the waxed denim shirt. (Waxed, right?)

Kim Milligan, buyer and product developer at Marc Nelson Denim

Andy Jones, PR director, Marc Nelson Denim

Andy explained that denim starts out white and then takes on the colors given to it — like the indigo blue we’re all familiar with. Or orange, if you live in Big Orange Country!

Racks of denim (white and dyed) at Marc Nelson Denim

Go, Big Orange — and white, and tan, and indigo . .

Marc Nelson Denim jeans can be bought from racks or customized to a specific fit and size. But you need to wear them. A lot. Or that’s what Andy told us: They take on your shape and become part of you. That’s why Andy — and the instructions on their denimology fact sheet on the website — recommend not washing them — well, for at least for six months. Surprised? We were. But now it kinda makes sense.

Wear ’em for six months so they conform to you!

The newest for Marc Nelson? The color of whiskey. Andy again: That’s right. We put whiskey in the wash with the denim. And this is the color we get.

As described on the website blog: We steep raw, natural 12 oz. Selvedge Cone Mills Denim, in a barrel of Whiskey for 30 days. After the month, we wash it, soften it and hang it to dry. The pair is breathable, yet incredibly sturdy – ready for years of wear and conversations over thick, amber whiskey. (And no, we didn’t sample the product in the bottles!)

They felt softer to us: whiskey-steeped jeans!

Housed in an industrial district, the Marc Nelson Denim showroom is urban all the way –from displays on rough-hewn wood panels to tables who had a past life in a manufacturing setting.

Love the wheels on this table and concrete floor!

Accessories like Wolverine boots on sale at Marc Nelson Denim.

Animal-skin rug, industrial table: Marc Nelson Denim showroom.

We wouldn’t have necessarily thought of Marc Nelson Denim being a favorite stop on an art tour. But with the story, the craftsmanship, the unique quality of the garments — well, why not? This IS art. And, thankfully, it’s right here in Knoxville.