What is your Denim/ Clothing Life Story?
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I bought my first selvedge items in a Amsterdam Levi store in 1997 (Jeans & Jacket‚ both Big E). A trendy work friend had just told me all about vintage shuttle looms and the Japanese owning them all. From there I started to collect some Evis items‚ imported from their flagship store in Tokyo. I continued to collect various Levis selvedge items (and some Lee for good measure). I then went to live in Hong Kong in 2001 (for 2 years) and I found a shop with (genuine) Japanese Evis(U) and bought some more items. All of the denim I owned (all selvedge except 1 pair of Diesel) have lasted a very long time‚ then about 8 months ago I got the urge to start buying some new items‚ SuFu took my to IH‚ google took me to Giles..the rest is history…..
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Funnily enough, Beatle asked me how I got into the denim thing earlier today. It is only a snap-shot of a denim life story, but here it is:
About 6 years I decided it was time to get rid of some of the millions of pairs of 501's I had been hoarding since my youth. As is my way, I did a stack of research, and realised that there was a massive Japanese denim culture that was not being well serviced in The West (and which I knew zippo about).
So, I researched a bit more and worked out which, in my mind, were the 5 best brands that did not have representation outside of Japan. Top of the list was IH, so I emailed and said I wanted to look after their interests. Luckily for me, Harakis best friend is a good English speaker, so I got an answer almost right away.
In typical Japanese fashion, it took a long, long time to get the relationship working in a way that suited both our cultures, but we got there in the end.
I was in New York with Haraki last year and a person who I had not met before asked me over dinner if I was the international representative for IH. Before I could answer, Haraki said, "he is my partner, but more importantly, he is my friend", it was then that I knew I had eventually cracked it.
I am sure I drive him wild as I am extremely demanding and I email him incessantly, but I reckon I take well over 50% of his output (he's far to cute to confirm or otherwise), so he puts up with me!
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Thanks for sharing that Giles, and a thank you to Beatle for asking the question!
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Long story, short version
I've been using jeans since boyhood, thats over 40 yrs now…
About 2 or 3 years ago I got sick of what they are offering in shops nowadays here in Finland.
Crap, at high prices. So thin denim, that it makes me wanna puke.
I'm not into fashion, been a biker since I got my license.
At first I bought 2 pairs of Levi517 as they aren't sold here (yea I know, El Cheapos) and I wanted bootcut jeans, and at that point there wasn't any available here, which is odd. Then couple of pairs of 501's Shrink-to-Fit's. At that point I found out of japanese denim. (from US with help of friends)
Then I bought Sugar Cane's 1947's. They are fine, but still wanted bootcuts, not those skinny emo-type ridiculousies or vintage cuts...
Last autumn I found out about IH, and have been wanting a pair since. Now I got me a second-hand pair coming...Jack
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I'll first start off by talking about my Dad. I don't know him very well as my parents divorced when I was about four years old. The one thing that drives me crazy is the fact that he lectures me constantly on just about everything. . . even to this day as I'm in my late 20's. Although there were a few things he said that stuck with me and make sense. "Buy things of high quality that will last."
I did this with a lot of things, even in my younger days when I slowly put together a good stereo system over several years instead of buying a cheap little boombox. I never cared about my clothing this way because I felt like, "whats the point"? Jumping ahead on this a bit; I was in a terrible relationship throughout my whole time in college where I took that "whats the point" outlook to another level.
After I got out of that dismal situation and graduated I slowly started caring more about taking care of myself. Eventually this came to the idea of clothing where I really can't remember how I found out about raw denim. . . I just know that my first pair was a Nudie "Average Joe". Boy did I struggle with these; too tight, didn't seem as well-made as they should for the money, didn't stretch as much as I'd hope, etc, etc.
Now I'm a person who usually has what I like to call "fleeting passions". I get very interested and involved with something and then I could care less about it after a few months. It was looking like good denim/clothing would be the same way until. . .
I thought to myself one day, "These Nudie's really aren't all they're cracked up to be, I need something serious". As I looked on some message boards and checked out some brands I stumbled upon Iron Heart. 21oz ?! Three-hundred-and-how-many dollars?! I dove right in and purchased my 634S not really knowing what to expect, just that my expectations were high.
When they finally arrived I took them out of the box and they felt like something you'd wear into combat. I could barely get them on or close the buttons. But it was the fact that I spent so much money that I couldn't just give up on these jeans, I was determined to fight the good fight. After about 6-8 months they turned into something that begged to be worn everyday. They saved me once from a nasty fall I took while playing basketball (I know, basketball in jeans) where I have a horrible scar on my elbow and a faded patch on my jeans to show what happened. They've been with me hiking where 'pricker bushes' don't stand a chance to get through and cut me. They've made people at work say, "Just give it up with those jeans already"! I love these jeans
Ever since then I've been filling in the gaps with some Samurai, Flat Head, etc. Now that my jeans drawer is filled how I want, I have been picking up shirts/jackets this past year to complete everything. Soon I'll have a wardrobe for life. . . but damn if the upcoming releases don't tug at my willpower!
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I quite liked this thread, so I thought I would repost and see whether it is resurectable:
Funnily enough, Beatle asked me how I got into the denim thing earlier today. It is only a snap-shot of a denim life story, but here it is:
About 6 years I decided it was time to get rid of some of the millions of pairs of 501's I had been hoarding since my youth. As is my way, I did a stack of research, and realised that there was a massive Japanese denim culture that was not being well serviced in The West (and which I knew zippo about).
So, I researched a bit more and worked out which, in my mind, were the 5 best brands that did not have representation outside of Japan. Top of the list was IH, so I emailed and said I wanted to look after their interests. Luckily for me, Harakis best friend is a good English speaker, so I got an answer almost right away.
In typical Japanese fashion, it took a long, long time to get the relationship working in a way that suited both our cultures, but we got there in the end.
I was in New York with Haraki last year and a person who I had not met before asked me over dinner if I was the international representative for IH. Before I could answer, Haraki said, "he is my partner, but more importantly, he is my friend", it was then that I knew I had eventually cracked it.
I am sure I drive him wild as I am extremely demanding and I email him incessantly, but I reckon I take well over 50% of his output (he's far to cute to confirm or otherwise), so he puts up with me!
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That is a brilliant thread. I don't have any fancy stories to contribute, but will write down some sentences. And, btw, I would like to hear more stories here…
Basically, I loved destroyed jeans since I was a kid and my mum had to patch up my jeans every two weeks (first patches were cotton and didn't last very long, then she used leather). I grew up on the countryside and so I had beaten up and grass/blood/mud stained jeans all along my childhood. Then, I got into punk (at the age of 11 or 12) and ripped my jeans and bleached them. I remeber bleaching an old brown jeans which developped orange spots - I'm sure my mum's got pictures of that phase.
When I was 16 I was also into metal and changed to leather pants (bad mistake) until I was 21. At that phase I wanted to change my look back to "decent" but still wear something special that stood out of the mass. That's when I read about nudie jeans and was fascinated about creating an own worn in jeans - brought back the memories of my childhood.Well, then it all happenend very fast, bought the first pre-washed nudie, read about dry denim and learned I had bought the wrong pair for a break-in process, first dry denim --> first selvage denim -->first japanese denim --> first Iron Heart. And here I am. (or: mynudies-->SuFu-->IHF)
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my first pair of dry denim was a pair of carhart jeans that were made made like traditional duck logger pants & this was back in the 90s. I wore the jeans every day until they got soft & since they were relatively cheap, once they began to wear in I gave them away. I traveled in a lot of different circles at the time & folks uptown weren't wearing what folks in brooklyn or queens were wearing, but no matter where I went people always respected the jeans. Many moons passed & I sort of moved away from carhart jeans because they weren't readily available -i swear i would go into a store & buy out my entire size for the year-.
To jump ahead many moons, I first discovered raw PRPS & fell in love with the color & the way the jeans felt. IMHO the jeans had cool hidden details & a really nice back story. I also liked them because in my crazy mind they took me back to a simpler time in my life. Since these jeans were much more expensive than the carhart jeans of my youth I wouldn't give them away when they began to wear-in & would just admire certain things about them. Again when they broke in I would pretty much just stop wearing them
I stumbled across SelfEdge while looking for a retailor of PRPS & when I saw the jeans I literally bought almost one of each pair that I could fit. When I received the various brands of denim I was impressed by all, but one brand stood head & shoulders above the rest. . . & so here we are today. I am a self confessed IronHeart junkie & there is no turning back. -
My first memory of any branded jeans I owned was a pair of Lee's. Must have been the mid seventies from a shop on Stoke Road in Gosport ! Fuckin' great flares but I loved them.
Jump foward a few years and it was Levis from my Mum's catalogue, probably Grattens.
From them on it was always Levis, jeans, jackets, everything. I remember a Levis jacket I had new in about 1980, probably selvedge, my mate 'borrowed it'. I never saw it again.
I then got caught up in the MOD revival here in the UK and then it really HAD to be Levis, MOD's wore Levis.
Then in the mid Eighties Levis really started to push the 501 again (and stonewash) and to my shame I was pulled along with it, but I knew no better.
I once even bought a pair of Lois, really, really light blue if I remember rightly.
Levis was all I really wore for about 15 years with a brief Diesel interlude.
Jump foward a bit a while and whilst considering a new leather jacket I discovered the Aero website and whilst I never bought a jacket (at the time) I 'discovered' Selvedge Denim. I was of course seduced by Levis Selvedge and as a bonus it was all made in the USA, everything in the shops was made in Hungary or some other place which never rang quite right.
My first pair was a pair of 1947 Shrink to Fit which I even sat in the bath with and then proceeded to walk around my village in, soaking wet pushing my son in his pram and with great big baggy knees !
I then tried some Lee 101, which was a big step for me. Still got them somewhere.
Now this is going to sound like heresy on this forum but I never really liked the Selvedge 'twist' :o :o :o.
To this end I started to 'surf' and happened upon the'Iron Heart' website and was immediatley hooked.
I remember calling Giles for the first time and explaning my irrational dislike of the 'twist' and he explaind the sanforizing process and how it reduces twist.
That was it, off down to Gosport and my first purchase, of Non Selvedge 461, go figure.
I have since, I believe, become a royal pain in the arse to Giles as I can't help turning up on his door to try before I buy, I only live a hour away.
Then the forum happened
I think like most people on this forum Iron Heart has now become a bit of a religion and the forum my extended family. I am always astonished by the knowledge people have about denim and what a rank amateur I am about the subject. At least people are never openly critical of my ignorance.
My journey continues !!! -
Thanks G, I feel better now.
I've been wanting to get that off my chest for years. -
We all have skeletons.
If only we had some photo's. -
I'll ask my mum to bring some pics of me as a 12 year old wih green hair and chlorix-bleached jeans rags, the next time she visits me.
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I grew up in Virginia and there was an abundance of really good thrift stores around. I could never afford to buy new clothes so I bought just about everything I owned second hand. In the early 90's you could still find really great vintage clothes in thrift stores and unbeknownst to me at the time I had bought quite a few pairs of Big E Levi's (this is also when i learned to love Pendleton). It wasn't until years later when I got a job and made a little extra cash that I could buy some brand new jeans, up until then I had been used to paying a dollar for a pair of jeans from a thrift store. 501's were my favorite so I went to the mall and bought a pair of STF 501's and took them home. I was confused because they were totally different than my favorite 501's from the thrift store. No hidden rivets was the first thing i noticed. Anyways….this is how I slowly started figuring out good from bad (although i guess thats in the eye of the beholder).
When I moved to Massachusetts in my early 20's I had a friend who worked at the amazing vintage store Bobby from Boston and he totally schooled me on Levi's and Lee jeans (more like gave me some basic knowledge, i will never know as much about the subject as he does). I started buying LVC 47's in the early 2000's and swore by them. To make a long story short.....as LVC quality started to fall I began searching for other good reproductions of vintage jeans. I tried just about everything out there and came to the conclusion that most of it sucks (i think Giles's conclusion about the 5 best japanese denim brands and IH being the best spot on). I found out about Self Edge from some other denim snobs ( I had no idea there were other people who thought about this stuff hahaha). It took me a couple years of being aware of IH before I could make myself spend the money, but I'm truly glad that I did. I'll never go back. I love IH because there is an obvious respect and understanding for the history of denim with a timeless look but everything is much more utilitarian than their peers.
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I loved blue jeans from the first time I saw this picture:
Then I worn Levi's for almost 30 years, and a few Diesel from time to time. 4 years ago I discovered Japanese Jeans: Edwin, Evisu, Prps, Dior MIJ. All expensive stuff, pre-faded and deranged. My philosophy was: i like to collect a lot of pairs of jeans, and it's impossible in my lifetime to wear 30, 40 pairs from raw state to evolved state, so better buying them pre-faded!
But deep inside I knew there was a world of magnificent "real" stuff", outside over the Internet, but I kept my eyes closed, because I was - in a very strange way, lazy.
Then, one day, I asked Google for the best jeans in the world…
made a few experiments, and here I am.
I was hoping that he discovered denim along with wine, women and song when he was a lad in his mere 20s.
