A retailer with a denim g-nome

Holland is known for windmills, clogs and the sinful streets of Amsterdam. But denim jeans? Niet zo dat veel!

A Dutch jean company has come to Orange County and is trying to make inroads into the high-end denim retail market. While most of couture jean companies are based in Italy, G-star is hoping to hawk its pricey denim line with a back-to-basics campaign focusing on the jeans themselves. That means practically no advertising and lots and lots of jeans. Walk into the Fashion Island store and the entire wall is stacked to the ceiling with denim ? washed denim, hand-treated denim and plenty of plain-old jeans that sell for between $150 and $200.

“It’s a very, very broad collection with denims in all cuts and sizes,” said Jeremy Steenblik, owner of the local franchise. “Something to fit every type and every market.”

G-star has had a presence in the U.S. for about seven years, selling through Fred Segal, Barneys New York and American Rag. Steenblik said boutique shops were an opportunity for G-star to expand its non-denim line of couture army jackets and flannels.

The mannequins in the shop are adorned with the hooded sweatshirts and minimalist uniforms of the line’s rugged military look. Imagine a futuristic army of fashionistas staging an organized uprising against the corporate occupation of America’s malls.

The result is a line with a rebellious feel. But is its market base of fashion punks willing to shell out hundreds of dollars for jeans?

“I think the customer has adapted to that,” Steenblik said. “The customers of the last five years have become more accustomed to higher-end denims that cost a little bit more. When you factor in the fabrication process, the cottons, the looms and the hand-brushed and hand-sewn items on antique looms, you start to get a better understanding of the cost. It’s not just the fact that it has the name G-star on it.”

Steenblick said he chose the Fashion Island location because the high-end shopping center melds well with G-star’s clientele. Steenblick said his group also operates stores in the Melrose Heights section of Los Angeles and San Francisco’s Union Square.

“We always knew that we were going to open a store in Orange County,” he said. “The boutique base is there, and the customers are there. We had lots of customers driving up from Orange County to visit the Los Angeles store, so this move just made sense.”

G-star is having its grand opening party from 7 p.m. to closing Sunday. The 1980s rapper Biz Markie will be the guest deejay, along with Christian Jacobs. dpt.10-bizspot-CPhotoInfo931PQ1DC20060410ixfhsjncLINDA NGUYEN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Jeremy Steenblik is the district manager of the high-end new jeans store, G-Star, which just recently opened up in Fashion Island.