We can all remember our very first pair of raw denim like it was yesterday: the excitement, the excruciating wait for fades, and being confused as to when and how to wash the things. This week we present reader Neihthan Nguyen of Vietnam’s first pair of raw denim, a shredded and well-faded pair of A.P.C. New Standards.

Neihthan has worn these jeans for about 2.5 years pretty regularly, and it shows; check out the tearing and fraying on the knees, thighs, and even the train tracks. To say these jeans have faded impressively is an understatement!

In fact, everything from the whiskers, thighs, honeycombs and back pockets is as defined as can be. These will soon get some repairs and then put into storage as Neihthan’s first step into a larger world of denim.