135 YEARS OF DENIM EXCELLENCE

Years ago, when Pierette Scavuzzo had just graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology and was interviewing for her first job, she found herself at a crossroads. “Nothing was sparking my passion,” she said. She wasn’t finding opportunities that spoke to her interests. But when a teacher told her about an assistant opening at Cone Denim, she felt inspired. “I was really into textiles. I loved the fusion of creativity and science. And Cone is a denim company with a long heritage — it sounded amazing.”

She landed the job at the 135-year-old denim house, and over the next decade took on roles across the company while honing her denim expertise. “I was fortunate to land there with an incredible team of teachers and colleagues that had a great amount of knowledge and experience,” she said. “Working at Cone has been incredibly significant to my career path.”

She went on to work on fabrics for Levi’s, joined the denim team at Banana Republic, and then — as though it was meant to be — she returned to Cone, a longtime LYCRA^® brand collaborator, as design director where she’s been for eight years. “In total, I’ve spent 18 years of my career working for Cone. I feel very fortunate to be with this team.”

As Cone Denim celebrates 135 years in 2026, we spoke with Pierette for our Voice of the Expert series to find out which denim trends are standing out, what’s next for stretch denim, and what she’s most excited to see happening in the industry.

How do you describe Cone Denim's design DNA versus other mills? What makes a fabric unmistakably "Cone"?

Cone has been in this industry for 135 years, so it’s been a privilege to see how that knowledge has been passed down. We have an incredibly rich archive — we can look back at a construction from the 1920s and understand how something was made at that time. What made it special? What made it stand out visually, or how was it dyed?

We also have team members I consider national treasures. They hold knowledge that is extremely rare. It’s about honoring that heritage, drawing inspiration from the past, and using it to create something new for today’s market. That’s what makes us unique.

What are some of the inspirations from the past that are reflected in your designs today?

A great example is how we’re approaching one of the most common requests we receive today. Consumers are drawn to visually heavier constructions, for example, a 15-ounce denim, but brands are asking how we can achieve that authentic character in a way that is also comfortable and commercial.

On the body, you want the look of a 15-ounce fabric, but the feel of a 10-ounce. We’re pushed to engineer an optical illusion — something that looks heavy without sacrificing character or Cone DNA, yet remains extremely comfortable. We have products in our line that have been very well received because they strike that balance: authentic in appearance while feeling lighter on body.

How do you think about collaboration up and down the value chain? What’s your philosophy and how does collaboration with ingredient partners play into your design work?

The question is always, “What are we solving for?”

In the case of our denim fabric with LYCRA^® ADAPTIV fiber, when we learned about the technology, a lightbulb immediately went off. We’re often asked for fabrics that offer strong stretch and high recovery — for garments that can be worn, washed, and worn again while maintaining their shape over time.

A customer takes a garment home, washes it, and expects it to continue looking good, feeling soft, and remaining comfortable. It has to deliver on all fronts. When we were looking for an ingredient that could solve for that, we found it in LYCRA^® ADAPTIV fiber. It offers easy, comfortable stretch with exceptional recovery, helping garments retain their shape.

When we partner with an ingredient brand, our engineering team works closely with them to meet all specifications. A fabric must meet our standards for quality, aesthetics, and performance. It goes through multiple stages of testing to ensure it’s commercial, aligned with our product vision, and ultimately adding value — especially in the stretch category, where there are a wide range of options.

Let’s talk more about stretch. Cone was the first producer in the US to make stretch denim, in 1962. What role does stretch play in your collections today?

Brands are really looking for that “unicorn” fabric — the Goldilocks balance. They want an authentic look and feel, inspired by ‘50s or ‘60s constructions, with a beautiful, rich shade. At the same time, they want comfort, a lighter weight, and then ask, “Can you also add 25–30% stretch?”

We’re constantly exploring ways to incorporate stretch creatively while solving for that customer need.

In men’s denim, we’ve focused heavily on developing stretch fabrics that still read as rigid. The challenge is creating something that recovers well while maintaining an authentic look. We developed a heavier fabric with LYCRA^® ADAPTIV fiber, called Coltrane, which has been very well received — particularly among men’s brands that request fabric weights over 12 ounces. It delivers authentic character alongside comfortable stretch and strong recovery.

In women’s, we developed Bardot with LYCRA^® ADAPTIV fiber, with warm-weather wear in mind. When garments sit close to the body in warmer climates, comfort becomes critical. We started there and built a solution: an ultra-stretch fabric (65% stretch), ideal for slimmer silhouettes. It incorporates COOLMAX^® EcoMade fiber and modal fibers to support temperature regulation, combined with LYCRA^® ADAPTIV fiber for excellent recovery, ensuring the garment holds its shape over time.

What do you think is the most exciting thing happening in denim right now that maybe doesn't get enough attention?

What excites me most is the return of texture and playfulness in design. We’ve been very inspired by what’s coming down the runway in high fashion — it’s been refreshing to see, and it’s influencing how we approach our collections.

For the consumer, it brings a sense of excitement, offering something new, something they may not already have in their closet, but feel drawn to. We’re seeing more people take risks in how they dress, and I think that’s driven by greater access to choice across all levels of fashion.

Thank you for sharing your time with us, Pierette! We can’t wait to see what you dream up next.