Japanese selvage Denim

[filfoster]

Red selvage denim

I looked at the Buzz Rickson jeans. Nice but pricey. I recently bought two pairs of Levis Vintage collection 1927 jeans from two different UK vendors, expensive but less pricey. (One got them to me without horrific duty; the other didn't). I like the look but the 'hand' of the denim is disappointing. I bought some ordinary, shrink to fit 'Wranglers' last summer and that denim is so much thicker and softer than this premium priced stuff. Maybe older isn't always better.
Is the Japanese stuff any better than the Cone Mills stuff Levis says the vintage jeans were made of?

 

[Papa M]

Is the Japanese stuff any better than the Cone Mills stuff Levis says the vintage jeans were made of?

I believe so. I don't have any real vintage original Cone Mills denim. I do however own half a dozen pairs of LVC denims and none of them match the quality of my primo Japanese denim.

 

[Mr Badger]

I'm a bit (!) of a denim nut (currently wearing a pair of Edwin Nashvilles and an LVC Type 1 jacket) and, after buying many, many (like, prolly about 25) pairs of selvedge jeans over the past decade, I have noticed the that quality & detailing on the LVC range and Lee 101s has declined quite a lot.

F'rinstance, the first Lee 101z repros had double selvedge, a really nicely pronounced 'grain' to the denim and half-lined back pockets, whereas the ones currently available in the UK only have a half selvedge, no lining in the back pockets, a massively 'over-sized' fit (my pair of 36" waist 101bs must be 40"!) and rivets with '101' stamped on 'em...

My fave selvedge jeans remain my virtually indestructible (US-made) Levi's 201xx, the Edwin Nashvilles (probably the best value & denim in fairly widely available selvedge jeans, and such great fit – very like the LVC 1944 model, in fact), and the European reissues of the Wrangler Blue Bell 11MW...

My biggest disappointment was deffo the pair of LVC 1933 bucklebacks – just really flimsy and skimpy denim, whereas the material should be comparable with that used in the 201xx model – but I hear that's pretty much the case with new stuff from this range, it ain't what it was back when they were being made in Valencia St, SF.

Apart from my Edwins, I've never owned Japanese denim (too pricey)...

 

[djgo-cat-go]

I own two pairs of Edwin rainbow-selvedge jeans, probably newer models, one has a cinch-back, which is cool, but the buckle was so flimsy it broke when I wore the jean for the first time. I took a buckle from another worn-down jean to replace it.. but after some wear I just don't like the fit anymore, too tight and trendy for my taste. The older Edwin (ED47) is fading really nice, and the fit is better but it's a low-waist jean, again too trendy for my taste. When I bought it I wasn't so critical about jeans, but since buying a pair of LVC's (vintage Levi's repro's) I'm a bit more picky..

 

[filfoster]

LVC

Mr. Badger writes:
My biggest disappointment was deffo the pair of LVC 1933 bucklebacks – just really flimsy and skimpy denim, whereas the material should be comparable with that used in the 201xx model – but I hear that's pretty much the case with new stuff from this range, it ain't what it was back when they were being made in Valencia St, SF.

Apart from my Edwins, I've never owned Japanese denim (too pricey)...[/QUOTE]

This is my disappointment with the LVC 1927's. For these outrageous prices, the denim should be identical to the original, not just this thin stuff with a red thread run through the 'selvedge'. For almost $200 per, the purchase should include meretricious services-but, perhaps in a way, it does.
Again, comparing the denim to the most pedestrian Wrangler's bought from K-Mart, that denim is very thick and softens nicely after a few washings. These LVC 1927's look fine but any Okie worth his salt would want to kick the crap out of the merchant who sold them.
I remember the Levi's I wore back in the '50's and '60's and these LVC's are not close. What's the deal with these? Just a gimmick without quality?

 

[djgo-cat-go]

My fave selvedge jeans remain my virtually indestructible (US-made) Levi's 201xx

I own one, and the denim is very tough and soft, but I managed to break the buckle on this jean as well (I'm having bad luck with the buckles)

My biggest disappointment was deffo the pair of LVC 1933 bucklebacks – just really flimsy and skimpy denim

My latest LVC is a 1901, and yes, the denim is not up to par in comparison to the 201

 

[Papa M]

I remember the Levi's I wore back in the '50's and '60's and these LVC's are not close. What's the deal with these? Just a gimmick without quality?

I wore Levi's as a teenager in the late sixties - but I don't remember much about it!

I'm quite happy with some of the LVC collection that I have bought; but none of them excites me like my Japanese denim does.

 

[Mr Badger]

As far as I understand it, from a friend of mine who deals v. high-end vintage (like, he sells 40s Hawaiian shirts to Saudi princes for thousands!), Levi's have (in marketing parlance) 'repositioned' their Vintage Clothing range more towards the high turnover fashion market. Lee seem to have done the same thing, hence some of the nasty, supposedly 'vintage' premium jeans & shirts they now sell... The LVC range WAS launched as a premium fashion sub-brand (stick with me here!) but, over the years, especially since the SF factory closed, the quality and attention to detail has dropped quite a lot.

I do maintain that, for an affordable, 40s/50s-style straight leg jean that can take the punishment of everyday wear for years (which is what they should do!), the Edwin Nashville model is very hard to beat. Mind you, they've gone 'directional' (*shudders*) with their clothing range, too, hence the 'rainbow' selvedge and SEN models...

The 'dry' cowboy Wranglers you can buy for $20 or so off ebay or at most Western/outdoor stores in the US are still outstanding value, as are the Levi's 501 'shrink to fit' jeans, if you can find 'em...

 

[Papa M]

Mind you, they've gone 'directional' (*shudders*) with their clothing range, too, hence the 'rainbow' selvedge and SEN models...

Like G-Star before them, and then Nudie, Edwin are becoming recognizable as a "gay" brand.

Sorry if this shocks some of you Edwin fans. I live in Brighton England so I can see the signs.

 

[volatile]

I just ordered myself a pair of Pace 101s... I'm looking forward getting my hands on them. The high waist looks fabulous.

 

[JakeHolman]

Like G-Star before them, and then Nudie, Edwin are becoming recognizable as a "gay" brand.

Sorry if this shocks some of you Edwin fans. I live in Brighton England so I can see the signs.

Wow! That is a shock... then again, they have got that rainbow selvage model...

 

[Papa M]

Wow! That is a shock... then again, they have got that rainbow selvage model...

Watch True Religion too. Heading the same gay way!

 

[volatile]

Gay guys are stylish. Don't hate!

 

[Papa M]

Gay guys are stylish. Don't hate!

You misunderstand me. I don't hate at all. In fact I celebrate the fact that I live in the UK Gay capital.

What I do is to observe the trends in areas of fashion that interest me in order that I am not caught sending out the wrong signal.

 

[volatile]

You misunderstand me. I don't hate at all. In fact I celebrate the fact that I live in the UK Gay capital.

What I do is to observe the trends in areas of fashion that interest me in order that I am not caught sending out the wrong signal.

Sending out the wrong signals is half the fun.

 

[deluxestyling]

13oz Japanese Denim anyone?

Here's a company based in the UK selling quality Japanese denim at very reasonable prices...

http://www.albamclothing.com/product.aspx?productid=116

 

[Papa M]

Sending out the wrong signals is half the fun.

Currently in Brighton we are hosting The Ladyboys of Bankok. Perhaps you should visit? I'll accompany you in an observational capacity. It might be fun?

 

[djgo-cat-go]

Currently in Brighton we are hosting The Ladyboys of Bankok. Perhaps you should visit? I'll accompany you in an observational capacity. It might be fun?

Make sure you wear your rainbow-selvedge Edwin's

 

[tropicalbird]

That sounds like a bit of spin-doctoring to me.

What really happened is that the US mills converted to more modern and cost effective wider looms. The shrewd Japanese bought up many of the old redundant narrow looms. And of course we are now in a situation where the Japanese denim-masters are able to dominate the selvage denim market.

This is total BS, I can't blame your ignorance either. Most sites post these "facts" while it's just another magic marketing ploy. Read some posts from "Paul T" from superfuture or styleforum, he actually get his hands dirty to get the truth.

Btw there are no cone vintage shuttle looms in japan, neither are Japanese denim so much superior (if any) to Cone as you think. Also note that most people can't see the difference between a $20 and a $300 jeans.

 

[daizawaguy]

New Edwin selvage 12oz...lightest selvage I`ve seen