Fashion standards dictate that colder weather means darker colors, and for indigo-lovers, that weather also means a chance to delve into the wild world of black denim. Notoriously difficult to fade—but extremely impressive when worn in—black jeans are not for the faint of heart.

Our man Martin Pell is anything but faint of heart, spending his days on the sales floor of the Fine Rug Gallery. Up and down ladders and schlepping loads over 80 lbs., Martin’s 3sixteen ST-220x’s get beat up. Wearing them daily at his work without a wash has rendered them “unprofessional” after they tore at the knee, but there’s a helluva lot of life left in this gorgeous slim-tapered, double-black denim.

Martin’s blood, sweat, and rug burns have made his black denim fade gloriously, and if you want fades like him, you should maybe consider going into the rug business too.

3Sixteen ST-220x Raw Denim Jeans

• Fabric: 100% cotton selvedge denim
• Fabric weight: 14.5 oz.
• Fabric source: USA
• Made in: USA
• Fit: Slim straight
• Additional Details:
  • Sanforized
  • Black sulphur-dyed warp and weft
  • Leather patch
• Available at: Self Edge for $230