Medium: Cotton denim

Date: c. 1986

Country: USA

Credit: Gift of Janet Waring

​Los Angeles-based Guess was an important company known for its stone-washed jeans. The Guess line was started in 1981 on a mere $100,000 investment, but by 1984 had ballooned into a nearly $160-million-business. Guess introduced a variation on stone-washing known as “acid-washing.” In this technique, jeans are washed with stones presoaked in bleach, which breaks the fabric down further and creates a decorative effect across the garment.

Object Number: 90.150.20