Naked & Famous is a Canadian denim brand largely known for creating some of the most innovative and unorthodox raw denim products on the market. From the world’s heaviest jeans to scratch-and-sniff denim, Naked & Famous strives to push the boundaries of raw denim, ultimately creating pieces that will deliver a totally unique experience.
Naked & Famous History and Philosophy
Naked & Famous was founded in 2008 by Brandon Svarc, a Canadian native whose family has been in the garment industry for over 65 years. After working in fashion PR, Brandon decided he wanted to create his own brand, so using his inherent knowledge of garment-making and the apparel industry, he began his venture into the raw denim business.
Naked & Famous Founder Brandon Svarc.
After growing tired of celebrity culture and its impact on the denim industry, Svarc wanted Naked & Famous to be a purely product-based denim label that cut out celebrity endorsement and advertising. He hoped that this approach would result in an affordable, high-quality product. He didn’t want his products to be known for who was wearing them, but rather how they looked, felt, and were produced—always in Canada, and always from raw, un-distressed Japanese denim.
The sole use of Japanese raw denim is integral to the philosophy of Naked & Famous. Svarc has never been shy to air his opinions of pre-distressed denim—comparing the act of buying pre-distressed jeans to buying a Ferrari covered in rust and scratches—and therefore Naked & Famous will always use raw denim that was milled in Japan, which arrives as a blank canvas on which the customer can make their mark.
But that’s not to say their products are simple. Svarc is a self-professed denim nerd, and uses Naked & Famous to channel his creativity by experimenting with raw denim and pushing it to its limits. Consequently, Naked & Famous quickly made waves in the denim world with products like glow-in-the-dark denim, heat-sensitive thermochromic denim, and the world’s heaviest denim, which weighs in at 32oz. per square yard. Considering many raw denim labels focus so heavily on reproducing vintage jeans to meticulous, authentic specifications, it’s refreshing to have a brand like N&F on the market that’s willing to rebel against tradition.
Naked & Famous Today
Today, Naked & Famous produces an array of denim and non-denim garments, including button-ups, knits, sweat and accessories like leather belts. All of their products are still proudly made in Canada, and they’re posted at their headquarters in Montreal, Quebec.
The ‘Wall Of Fade at Naked & Famous HQ, Montreal’
To this day, they still continue to invent completely new fabrics, and regularly collaborate with other denim labels, such as Burgus Plus, The Flat Head, and Big John to name but a few. In a typical season, N&F will release up to twenty fabrics, ranging from more humble options—like left hand twill and double-indigo denim—to complete novelty projects like coffee-dyed jeans.
Naked & Famous jeans made in collaboration with Big John.
To showcase these products, Naked & Famous have their brick and mortar store, Tate + Yoko, also located in Montreal, which stocks the full N&F range as well as a wealth of curated collections from brands like Kamikaze Attack, Studio D’Artisan, and Momotaro Jeans. The store also offers a free hemming service for all customers.
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‘Naked & Famous’ brand store, Tate+ Yoko, in Montreal.
Characteristics and Iconic Models
Naked & Famous jeans come in a range of fits, with the slim-tapered ‘Weird Guy’ fit becoming a somewhat iconic silhouette in the world of contemporary raw denim. They may use some totally unorthodox fabrics, but their jeans usually stick to the archetypal five-pocket construction, which keeps them versatile and applicable any wardrobe.
Some of Naked & Famous’ most memorable releases include:
32 0z. Super Heavyweight Weird Guy
Image courtesy of Tate +Yoko.
First introduced in 2012 after more than two years in the pipeline, the 32oz. Super Heavyweight Weird Guy is the worlds heaviest pair of jeans. Constructed with unsanforized denim from Okayama, N&F playfully stated ‘Guaranteed uncomfortable or your money back.’ With the average pair of raw denim jeans weighing in at 14.5oz., the news of these gargantuan jeans took the denim game by storm, and denim heads worldwide were gearing up to see how the beastly fabric would fade.
Available at Tate + Yoko for $545.
Scratch-n-Sniff Raspberry Scented Weird Guy
Widely regarded as their most outlandish creation, Naked & Famous released their first scratch-n-sniff jeans back in 2012, with a pair of weird guy jeans made from a 12.5oz. indigo denim that was covered in raspberry scented micro-capsules. They’ve since re-visited this concept with Mint and Evergeen scented jeans.
Left Hand Twill Selvedge Skinny Guy
The Left Hand Twill Selvedge Skinny Guy is an example of one of Naked & Famous’ more laid back denim options. Made from a lighter-weight 13.5oz. Japanese denim, with left-hand twill construction, these jeans have a soft hand and produce unique vertical fades as they age. Coming in at under $150 , these jeans are one of Naked & Famous’ most affordable and have proven popular among denim heads the world over.
Available at Tate + Yoko for $145.
Naked & Famous – The Final Say
In just a few short years, Naked & Famous has become almost as ubiquitous as the Japanese selvedge denim they use on their jeans. With accessible price points, a wide variety of fits, and a unquenchable appetite for experimentation, Naked & Famous is the often first and sometimes the last stop for many denimheads.
