Pepe gets it on with Alexa Chung

Yesterday, the wondrous GraziaDaily announced that Alexa Chung is to be the new face of Pepe Jeans. Rather frustratingly, I wrote a huggggggggggge long post on it immediately - only to manage to delete the entire body of text. Annoyance caused me to give up for the day, so alas I have returned today to yesterdays news but with far less enthusiasm. So, taking the general gist of what I wanted to say yesterday, here's a point-by-point break down of my reaction to the news:

a) It surprises me that the Chung would associate herself with anything other than an edgy or luxury brand.

This year she has already fronted a DKNY Jeans campaign which I again thought was a wee bit off kilter. However, this was more forgivable, having been shot by Scott Schuman and DKNY Jeans being part of the 'designer' Donna Karen empire. The only denim brand I would happily associate her with would be Lee - there would just be something more fitting about their pairing.

But Pepe?? Really?? Leading me on to the next point...

b) What is Pepe?? Who are Pepe??

Well - Pepe promotes itself as a truly British brand, with 1970's London rock'n'roll as its foundations. Whilst that might have genuinely been their heritage, I have yet to meet a single Brit who wears Pepe, or has ever even owned a pair (p.s I am a Brit, living in fashion obsessed London, surrounded by musicians, PRs and stylists). Their brand identity is looking a bit doubtful now eh?

c) Due to the above point, I'm sure Pepe are counting their lucky stars that you can essentially rent a pretty/ individual/ 'cool' Brit It-Girl so as to strengthen the brand association that Pepe is reeeeeeeeally cool... Note: Obvious sarcasm hard to portray in text

I wonder how much the Chung charges? Or the delightful Sienna Miller for that matter - she was their previous 'face'.

d) On a kinder note to Pepe (Bambam is fair and pragmatic...) - last year I was studying Fashion Branding in Amsterdam and was set a semester long project purely on denim brands. During discussions with my foreign contemporaries it became known to me that the Dutch, and apparently many other European nations, do actually buy Pepe. They believe it really is a trendy London brand and has quite a following over there. So I guess hiring super expensive London It-Girls might be worth it after all.

Interesting.