Me: “Raw denim is what?”
Response: “Yeah, you wear them for months and don’t wash them, and you can get crazy fades!”
After graduating from High School, I took a trip to Hong Kong with a friend where I was introduced to this mysterious, god-like fabric known as raw denim. It came as a shock to me as my previous experience with denim was with more common, pre-washed and distressed jeans from brands such as Diesel, Replay, and (I admit) True Religion.
I’ll be honest that I had little desire to make the switch until one day I stumbled across my friend looking at denim online. Though he was reluctant at first to let me in on the goods, he eventually gave in.
I quickly learned about and was enamoured with the process, the culture, and most all, the results. The photographic results some people had achieved blew me away. To be a bit more specific though, I was instantly drawn in by two factors:
- Fades – Never before had I seen such natural looking contrasts between blues and whites, along with honeycombs sharp enough to shave with.
- Fit – With so many denim brands being available, there seemed to be cuts for all body shapes and sizes.
After some research, I eventually settled on my first pair of raw denim jeans – Julian Red Jeans California (note: the photos below are not mine and courtesy of Funkaoshi).
Details
- Name: Julian Red Jeans California
- Weight: 12 Oz.
- Fit: Medium rise, tapered leg
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Though they served me admirably and were a great entry-level denim, I soon discovered I needed to delve into other makes & models of raw denim. For instance, I soon with my favorite pair being my Samurai Jeans 710s, which were featured on one of our Fade Friday‘s a few months ago.
So what are some of my lessons learned? Two pieces of advice I would give to anyone starting to get into raw denim:
- Be Patient – Good things come to those who wait. Obsessing over your denim isn’t going to make them wear-in better or create better fades!
- Relax – A lot of people fuss about their raw denim. But remember, they’re just jeans and it’s all about the journey. Refrain from washing for six months, but over time wear ’em and wash them as you see fit. You don’t need to follow a specific schedule or start doing new activities (sadly, I was a culprit of this). One day you might just be surprised at the results.
How you were introduced to raw denim? What was your first pair and experience like?
Stay Raw!
