As fall approaches nothing excites me more in menswear than Japanese selvedge denim. Fashion can be a fickle being and a lot of trends are in one moment and out the next. Japanese selvedge denim stands above the rest in an overly saturated denim market and it has emerged as the crème de la crème.
Since our opening days we have been carrying a line called Naked and Famous Jeans. Manufactured in Canada out of raw Japanese selvedge denim, these jeans are known for their great fits and the unique fabrics that they use. Naked and Famous consider themselves as a gateway brand to the avant-garde world of Japanese selvedge denim, and have been doing so well for us that we here at Rue 14 are stoked to bring you Edwin Jeans this fall.
Up until recently Japanese selvedge denim jeans could only be found at specialty stores in New York City or Los Angeles, but with the growing menswear market and its demands for quality, good Japanese denim has becomes a staple. In essence, Japanese selvedge denim jeans are meticulous reproductions of America jeans from the 1950s and 60s, the ones that cowboys and miners would wear day after day. With all the bells and whistles like hidden rivets, these selvedge denim jeans are built to last a lifetime.
This style of denim jeans takes more time to create and is much more costly in production. Vintage American shuttle looms used to produce the denim fabric make it not only tighter and more durable but also cause the material to be naturally irregular. These irregularities are what allow for the unique fading that has become synonymous with Japanese selvedge denim. Selvedge denim, also, tends to be heavier and sturdier. The edges of the fabric are sealed shut, normally with a color thread, during the weaving process creating a “self edge.” This signature detail can be easily spotted on a rolled-up cuff, a telltale sign of quality construction.
The vintage American shuttle looms that create these amazing fabrics were sold to Japan during the 1980s after many of the America denim manufacturers made the switch to projectile looms, a cheaper and faster way to produce a lower quality denim fabric. So while America has moved to mass production, the Japanese have become obsessed with the reproduction of the classic American denim jeans. Japanese selvedge denim has much to do with American heritage; being both retro and futuristic it is a trend that is bound to stand the test of time in the world of fashion.
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